When It Ends
by California Mountain girl
Summary: Kylo/Rey : How will the Force once again find balance? After years of war, the end is near. The pieces are all in place, and Rey is coming across the galaxy to once again bring balance. Even if that means killing Kylo-Ren. This is how I think it will all end. (TFA spoilers alert) plz review. :)
1. Chapter 1

"When it Ends"

Chapter one

The night came on early on the planet Rintoa. It was a desert planet, now cold since the duel suns had set. A faint chill came, and a breeze brushed against Kylo's face. He held his mask in his hands and stared up at the starlit sky above. With no moisture in the atmosphere, it was as if he stood on the edge of the eternities. Outside the large blast doors of the First Order base, he let his consciousness drift into the strong currents of the Force. It surrounded him. And he let himself swim in its unending depths.

In the stars above him, he could feel the familiar distant star who was his mother. She was sad. He could feel her heartbreak across the endless lightyears of space as if he could see the tears on her face. Kylo took in a harsh breath as his stomach knotted. Blinking, he made himself focus on something else. Someone else. Yes. There she was. Rey was out there too. She was so strong in the Force that he could feel her as if she was only a mile away. He thought of her now. Her lips, and her piercing eyes. She was so small, but she was so powerful. Rey was so bright. Like a brightly burning star that could blind him.

Kylo closed his eyes, as if he could somehow shield himself from her. But it didn't work. She could sense him as well.

He froze. She could sense his attention on her, and she reached through the force back to him. This intensified their connection. He could see her in his mind's eye. Her pretty little jaw set, but her eyes flaming as if she could fuel suns.

Rey was determined. Not nearly as afraid as when he'd first met her. No. That girl had grown up. She was not a child anymore. She was stronger. Trained. Focused. She was coming for him now. Kylo's eyes snapped open, and broke their connection. Rey was coming to kill him. And she wanted him to know it.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Rey sat motionless as she stared out the cockpit windows of the _Millennium Falcon_. She didn't hardly breathe, she just stared into the vast unknown of hyperspace. He was gone. Kylo had startled, breaking their connection briefly after his shock flew against her like ripples in a motionless pool. So much sadness. Anger. Suffering. It was just as Master Skywalker had said. Kylo had lost himself in the Dark Side, and it consumed him slowly like a disease. It was as if he stood in an unending fire, and in those brief moments Rey spent looking into his heart she could see him writhe from it.

Finn gazed at her for a moment, "Rey?"

She didn't answer.

"Rey!"

Jumping in her seat, Rey glanced at her friend and exhaled, "Yes?" She swallowed hard, bringing herself back into the present. She could smell the leather of the worn pilot chairs and the slight burning stink from the endlessly-tinkered-with electric system. She felt her lightsaber by her side, and tasted the memory rations on her lips. They had just eaten.

"What are you doing?" Finn sat at the co-pilot controls of the _Falcon,_ leaning back in this rare moment of leisure.

Rey shook her head, "Nothing."

"I can see that," Finn muttered, "But I also know when nothing is something. Especially with you."

Rey met Finn's gaze, and let herself smile. How long had they been doing this now? Five years. Five years of secret missions, daring escapes, near misses while struggling against all odds to survive in this war-torn universe. Finn knew her better than anyone. Well, almost anyone. "You're right." She glanced over her shoulder at the small chatter from the rest of the strike team. Two dozen resistance members sat in the ship's lounge, talking quietly amongst themselves. Some sat quietly and didn't say anything, while others joked and laughed. It was always tense before a battle. All of the fighters dealt with the stress differently.

"It's him again, isn't it?" Finn's tone lowered and his lips turned into a firm line.

Rey knew it was useless to try to lie, so she simply nodded. "Yes. It was him. He thought I couldn't sense him when he looks for me."

Finn shook his head and glanced out at hyperspace, "Force-stalking. That's a new one."

Looking away, Rey sighed. Finn was her dearest friend, but he couldn't understand everything. After her training under Luke Skywalker, although brief, her life had changed. Everything was different. A type of different that Finn couldn't understand. "It's not like that," Rey replied.

Finn's expression soured further, "I don't know, it seems like stalking to me. And he has plenty of reason to."

Rey shook her head again, "It's not like that."

"Then what is it like?" Finn was a straightforward person, and Rey's tone made his body tense up like a tight spring, "Because it doesn't make any sense."

Frowning, Rey shrugged, "He's lonely, alright? He's lonely. And he looks up at the stars and he looks for me in them."

"That's stalking."

"No it's not."

"How not?" Finn's eyes widened. It was obvious that he was amazed at Rey's answers.

"I've done the same thing," Rey answered finally. "When I was a kid. I'd look up at the sky. I would just search the stars for hours. Looking for someone. An idea. A memory. Anything. That's what he's doing."

Finn's eyes softened. They both had rough childhoods. But even though his was a manipulation of freedom and mind control, he always had people with him. Classmates. Friends. He never had to deal with the cold isolation that Rey experienced at a very young age. "And he's looking for you?"

Rey nodded quietly, staring at her hands.

"Will it endanger the mission?"

"Not this time," Rey answered, "He can sense me. But he can't tell where I am exactly."

Finn nodded, "That's good."

An abrupt beeping sound came from the Falcon's hyperdrive readouts, interrupting the conversation. Rey sat up in the pilot's chair, and flipped a switch, "We're almost ready to drop out of hyperspace. Tell everyone to get ready."

Finn nodded, hesitating for a moment, "Are you ready?"

"I'm ready," Rey looked up at Finn, and took in a slow yet steady breath, "We end this now." She had to be strong now. She couldn't let her resolve weaken. For the Resistance. For her friends.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Rey dropped into the planet's atmosphere with a shuddering blast that left him frozen. He felt it like a rolling thunder as every muscle in his body tensed. She was somewhere on the planet. Kylo stiffened as he knelt in the main audience chamber. He looked up at his master, burying his reaction deep inside. There was little he had ever been able to hide from his master. The ancient being could read Kylo's innermost thoughts instantly, and he ripped away whatever privacy Kylo ever wished to have. But still, he did his best to hide his feelings.

Aged and feeble looking, Supreme Leader Snoke sat on his high throne of midnight granite. His looks were deceiving. Although pale, his persona radiated the Dark Side. He was a being who held the power and gravity of a black hole. Inescapable and devastating, his influence could be felt by anyone who neared him. Yet Snoke remained motionless.

Kylo stared up at him. "Master?"

"Yes," Snoke muttered, his gums making a slippery grinding sound against themselves in the silence, "I feel it. She's here."

"It is as I suspected," Kylo said quietly.

"No," Snoke muttered, "It is as you feared."

Kylo averted his eyes. There was no point in lying. His master had seen through him once again. Yes. He feared Rey. She had beaten him. Untrained and outmuscled, she had beaten him. Or he had let her beat him. Either way, it was a dishonor. He was weak against her blinding light.

"Your training is complete my apprentice," Snoke breathed, his jaw moving slowly as his words echoed from his aged chest, "Bring the girl to me. Take your knights, and destroy whatever Resistance fighters she may have brought with her."

Nodding, Kylo stood, "As you wish it, Master. But I feel that the Resistance is leading us into a trap."

Snoke stared at Kylo, his olden eyes so dark that they saw through him.

It felt cold. A gaze that could see through space, time, and into the strongest minds. An invisible icy hand wrapped itself around kylo's lungs. For one horrible second, he couldn't breathe. He gasped, his lungs desperate to bring warmth to them.

"I have foreseen it." Master Snoke answered, releasing his squeeze on Kylo's chest.

Kylo gasped again, his lungs aching even after Snoke released him from the icy hold. He nodded, turning on his heel. Snoke didn't have to waste time with words. Kylo understood his punishment for questioning his master.

He strode out of the main audience chamber, slipping his helmet over his head as he walked. When the doors closed behind him, he looked over his shoulder to see General Hux.

Hux was hovering by an array of control panels and a multitude of readout monitor workers. He caught Kylo's glare, and straitened himself to his full height.

"Summon the five," Kylo muttered, his mask broadcasting his voice so that he didn't have to raise it. "We have work to do."

Rey felt the familiar heat of the sand radiating against the soles of her combat boots. Walking alone through the sand drifts and dunes, she made her way under the star speckled sky toward the main city. Even though it was nighttime, the heat kept by the sand still flowed upward into the cloudless sky. Cresting a sand swept hill, Rey gazed down into the city of the Supreme Leader's innermost sanctum.

The commanding base was a massive collection of black buildings and docking bays with gleaming lights that lit up the desert. According to the reports brought back by the Resistance spies, the buildings went for hundreds of miles underground. The large black city that glistened in the desert night was only the top of the massive operation.

It had taken the Resistance years to find this location. While his hands were stretched throughout the entire galaxy, the Supreme Leader never accompanied any of his commanders. He was a silent director. The invisible puppet master.

Closing her eyes for a moment, Rey focused on the city beneath her. She could feel Kylo's presence. He was there. Angry and humiliated, his presence roared like a reckless and enraged animal. He was below her in the city, and he was coming for her.

But there was another presence. Someone so dark, so sinister, that he made Rey take step backward. Like a shadow across the sun, the Supreme Leader radiated darkness from deep in the city. Only someone capable of horrible cruelty and manipulation could send such dark shadows through the Force. He was the one who directed Kylo's rage.

Rey bit at her lip and drew a shaky breath. She was trained in the Force. Fear lead to the Dark Side. She should not fear Kylo Wren or the Supreme Leader. Fear would weaken her. Fear would be her doom. Rey opened her eyes, and glanced over her shoulder to the abandoned stone ruins of a species long extinct. It had been an insect species, and they had burrowed tunnels deep into the sand and rock. Dead for a millennia, their carving in the stone remained as an echo of their existence. She would wait for Kylo there.

Let Kylo come for her, and let him bring his last remaining knights. She was ready for them.


	4. Chapter 4

(Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews all! They really keep me going. I'm sorry if there are some whoopsies in here. I've got a head cold. ugh. So i'm not 100 percent. But i hope you enjoy! and plz review. 3 )

Chapter 4

*Blood in the Sand*

Kylo stepped away from the sandspeeder, motioning for his knights to dismount behind him. Shutting off their engines, his men followed his lead and silently stood in the drifting sand. The two dozen storm troopers who had followed them did as instructed as well, their battle armor rattling as they moved.

He glared at them. General Hux could say what he may, but Kylo knew that his army was unsatisfactory. Turning his attention away from the awkward storm troopers, he gazed at the abandoned tunnels in the rock and sand. "She's here somewhere," he muttered, reaching up to switch his visor to night-vision, "Remember, the Master wants her alive. If you can, bring her unharmed."

The five Knights of Wren silently acknowledged Kylo's orders. But Kylo could feel their bitterness toward the fact. Of the original eight, only five remained. Rey had killed three of them. One on Danthamore, one on Yavin 4, and two in a space battle orbiting the moons of Naboo. She was a slow yet steady might to be reckoned with.

His knights wanted to tear her apart. Their bloodlust was as deep and vicious, like that of rabid animals. Kylo felt it seep off them like toxic radiation. He exhaled. There was a reason why he commanded them. They were blinded by their rage. He could channel it.

The gaping cave entrances stood open and dark in the menacing nighttime. There were over two dozen entrances. It was a honeycomb in the rock with wind howling through them in the darkness.

It was a trap. Kylo knew it. He knew it because it would be something he would do. But his Master's commands were beyond contestation. He had no choice. "Split up, take a team with you," Kylo said, retrieving his lightsaber from his belt, "In one hour we meet back here."

"What about you?" Gersha Wren asked. She was the only female, but she made up for it by being twice as bloodthirsty as any of her fellow knights. A Twi'leck, her tattooed headtails twitched as she squinted at Kylo in the darkness, "Shouldn't you take backup?"

"I go alone," Kylo answered flatly, "Follow your orders."

Gersha nodded, averting her eyes in acknowledgement of Kylo's rank. Her face was as cold as ice, but her rage boiled.

"Disperse," Kylo ordered, still holding his lightsaber in his hands.

His knights did as they were told, individually choosing their entrances to the massive underground honeycombs. Kylo's feet sank into the deep sand, and he felt the wind pick up as he wandered into the cave directly ahead of him and into the deepening darkness.

He could feel Rey's presence grow stronger with every step he took. She knew he was coming. She was waiting for him. Kylo clenched his jaw as he listened to the sound of the wind whistling through the stone tunnels. "It's just us now," Kylo whispered, knowing that somehow she listened to every word he said.

Kylo felt it as she turned her attention to him in the darkness. _"It's just us now,"_ she replied. Her voice in his head only a whisper in the shadows. _"There's no one left to save you now."_

Glancing around, Kylo ignited his lightsaber. It hissed and fizzed in the blackness of the endless catacombs around him. He sneered into the darkness. She would find out who needed saving after tonight.

And so he went. For over twenty minutes he walked deeper into the tunnels, surrounded by a darkness so thick that it felt like it could be liquid. The only light was cast by his saber. Hissing and spitting, the humming of his lightsaber was the only noise beside the whispering wind.

Then he felt it. A sudden scream in his mind, and a coldness. Gersha Wren's death scream echoed in his head as if he was standing beside her. Kylo froze in his tracks and listened. The Twi'leck had screamed through the Force, nearly deafening him.

Where he stood there was only the sound of silence in the catacombs.

Kylo swallowed, grinding his teeth together. Rey was picking them off one by one. It was smart. Methodical. She was playing on his master's confidence.

Another scream. This time it was Leron, one of the older knights.

Kylo stiffened. She was moving fast, plowing down his knights easily. He listened once again, trying to find a bearing. Where were they? Where was she? H needed to find her, track her, he could stop her.

A piercing cry rattled through the Force as yet another knight screamed out and then was suddenly silenced. Another dead. They were dropping like flies.

He bolted. He ran down the tunnel, then up a side tunnel as it split. His boots sank into the sand, slowing him as he tore through the deserted catacombs toward the direction of the screams. He had two knights left. The tall Jallon, and the silent Nifradies. They were not his best fighters.

The sounds of far off blaster fire reverberated through the tunnels, and Kylo froze. The sound echoed around him, and he squinted in the darkness. Where was it coming from? The unforgettable sound of a lightsaber clashing against another echoed against the stone walls. Kylo reeled. They were outside.

He turned and sped through the sand the way he came, his breath burning in his lungs as his feet sank. Kylo followed his path back to the entrance to the caves. Sweat dripped down his nose in his mask, and his body heated up in the black folds of leather and canvas. He tasted his own sweat on his lips as he finally emerged from the entrance to the ruins.

He could see her on the ridge. She still wielded his grandfather's lightsaber, and it cast a blue light on her features. Surrounded by a dozen and a half storm troopers, she dueled with both Nifradies and Jallon.

Kylo ran toward them, ignoring the burning in his lungs and the sweat in his eyes. He saw Rey's saber dash in and out of the darkness, hissing against the others in a brilliant clash of red against blue. Kylo climbed the hill in leaps, propelling himself with sheer will. Finally coming at them, he raised his saber, "Fall back!"

Nifradies heard the call and retreated to Kylo's side, while Jallon chose to ignore it.

"Jallon!" Kylo screamed, "Fall back!"

Swinging his crimson saber through the air, Jallon didn't listen to Kylo's orders, and attacked. He came at Rey, saber raised with a war cry on his lips.

It was the last thing he uttered.

With blinding speed, Rey moved to the side and swept her saber in a vicious arc. She sliced Jallon in half, only to step back into a ready stance less than a second later.

Kylo stared at Rey. She wasn't retreating. Why wasn't she retreating? She was outnumbered. It made no sense for her to remain here…Unless she planned on being taken.

Rey met Kylo's gaze in defiance.

He stared at her, and slowly removed his mask. He had changed since she had seen him last. He was not the wounded man who had stared up at her from the snow. He had changed. His training was finished. The man she defeated was dead. Kylo wanted her to know it.

She didn't react.

"You shouldn't have come back," Kylo called out.

Rey took a step back, a strand of her cinnamon-colored hair falling into her face from its tight knot on the back of her head, "You were expecting me."

Kylo dropped his helmet to the sand and stepped forward, "Surrender."

She glanced up at him, but she didn't move from her defensive stance.

So be it. In that second he came at her, unleashing his fury in a blast of blinding power. He beat down at her like a thunderstorm. Jab after slice, his hell bent attack coming full force against her.

She met him and held her ground against him. She was strong. So strong.

Kylo panted, his breath coming in short bursts as he circled her. She wasn't scared of him. To his shock, she could hold him off. It would take more than sheer strength to defeat her. Desperation piercing his anger, Kylo took a step back and then flung a tidal wave concussion against her.

She was taken by surprise, and flew through the air like a leaf on a breeze. Rey tumbled in the sand, falling down the dune. Her lightsaber sailed from her hands.

Kylo raced down the sand dune, and stood over her as she tried to get to her feet. He stared down at her, panting as sweat rolled off his face. "You shouldn't have come back, Rey," he whispered.  
Blinking, she moved to call her lightsaber to her.

Kylo swept his hand down, instantly rendering her unconscious.


	5. Chapter 5

**(A.N. Thanks for the sweet reviews guys! I'm still sick, so I may make some errors, and I'm sorry about that. But plz review anyway, i love those reviews. :) Happy New Year!)**

Chapter 5

*Stop Hiding in the Shadows*

Rey awoke slowly. She was sitting in an upright position, and she could smell the recycled air coming at her through the air conditioning system. That meant she was inside the city somewhere. Reaching out through the Force, she looked for Finn.

Finn was okay. He was nervous, but he wasn't in pain. Everything was going to plan.

Keeping her eyes closed, Rey remained motionless. How deep in the city could she be? Hundreds of miles underground, undoubtedly. She felt like she was buried in the middle of the planet. She could feel it. A crushing pressure. She had always lived under the sky, even as a child. To be so far underground made her feel as if she was buried alive.

That was when she felt it. Kylo Ren was there. With her. She could sense his angry presence. Not only that, but she could hear his soft breathing. He couldn't be more than six feet away.

"I can tell you're awake," Kylo muttered, his low voice echoing in the room, "Stop hiding."

Rey opened her eyes. The first thing she noticed was that she sat upright in a restraining chair. Her second realization was that her lightsaber was gone. Where was it? None of the restraints had been activated. She was not being held down at all. The reality of that situation flickered through her mind, followed by the sight of Kylo Wren sitting in the opposite corning. He held her lightsaber in his gloved hands, rolling it over and over repeatedly.

His face was cold. He didn't allow a single emotion come across to her. His eyes were icy. Unlike the first time they had met, he was completely hidden within himself.

"I see you haven't bothered to restrain me," Rey said, her voice low in her chest.

Kylo's expression didn't change, "It wasn't effective last time, so why bother."

Rey stared at him. She wasn't afraid of anything anymore. Least of all him. What was he waiting for?

He stared back, unblinking as he sat in his seat.

She didn't know what to expect out of him. He said quite a bit the last time he held her hostage. He'd threatened her, dark and angry. Now he sat quiet. In a way she found this more threatening. But she wasn't going to let him know that. So she remained silent, waiting for him to talk.

He stared at her, and she stared back. She took in the sight of the scar that ran horizontally across his features, bubbling and gray. She had given him that scar that night so many years ago in the snow. Undoubtedly she had given him other scars as well. While she had landed multiple blows, he hadn't hurt her. It was something that still puzzled her. The scar was the first thing she noticed. But the second was how familiar he seemed. It was as if the memory she had of him finally fit with someone she recognized. General Leia Solo. Kylo Ren had his mother's eyes.

Leia Solo was the woman who practically adopted her when she joined the Resistance. Kylo Wren's mother. He stared up at her with his mother's deep brown eyes, now clouded over with anger and resentment. She could also see Han Solo in him as well, although his father's memory was not nearly as clear as Leia's. But she could still see it.

Standing, Kylo Ren's expression didn't change, "So you have returned."

"As I remember, you came to find me," Rey replied, her tone as icy as she felt.

"We both know that you were waiting for us," Kylo answered, stepping closer.

Rey carefully hid her plan away in the depths of her mind. She couldn't let on to the reason why she had been be taken so easily. "And yet you came into the caves anyway." She didn't move a muscle, didn't let her mind falter, "You brought your knights in to be slaughtered. Is that the way your master always commands his men? Like game pieces to be lost and gained around a board?"

The left side of Kylo's mouth twitched, "The Supreme Leader knows more than you ever will."

"Oh? Is that so," Rey knew that it was dangerous to upset him, but she also knew that the Dark Side clouded judgement and strength with rage. She needed him to be as confused and angry as possible. If his mind was clear, he may catch onto her plan. "I know certain things as well."

Kylo scoffed, his dark eyes turning even colder, "What could you possibly know?"

"I know your true name, Ben Solo," Rey said, spitting out the words, "I've met your mother, I know you killed your father. I know all about you. And I was right from the beginning." She took a breath, letting her own anger show for just a millisecond, "You are a monster."

He took another step toward her, his jaw clenching so hard she could see the muscles in his face flex and bunch. Kylo let out a shaggy breath and ignited her blue lightsaber in his hands. He held it up, letting it fizz dangerously close to her face like a lit torch near a candle.

She could feel the heat from the blue blade as it burned near her skin. The lightsaber hummed like a swarm of bees, and it fizzed as it neared even closer to her tender neck.

"That name," Kylo whispered, coming even closer, "No longer has any meaning to me."

"It's just as well," Rey muttered. "Because you're a disgrace to it."

The room turned cold. Ice cold. Rey exhaled, and she could see her breath in a white fog. Kylo had driven the room to a freezing temperature in less than one second. Rey shivered, her blood still used to the warm temperatures of Jakuu. She felt goosebumps suddenly cover her stomach, arms, and legs.

Kylo shut off her lightsaber, but remained so close she could feel his warm breath on her face. "Master Snoke will be able to show you the power of the Dark Side. You will know everything then."

Rey exhaled, clenching her hands in an attempt to warm her fingers, "I will not be turned, and you will be forced to kill me."

At her words, he stepped back and the room returned to its normal temperature. For the first time, an expression crossed Kylo's face. It was something akin to sadness, but only barely visible under his mask of stone. He motioned to the door and it slid open, "If that is your destiny. So be it."


	6. Chapter 6

**(Thank you to all the reviews and favorites out there! i'm sorry this chapter is short, but it's the weekend and I'm still sick and very busy. I hope to update soon. )**

Chapter Six

*The Inevitable Destiny*

They walked side by side through the halls of the Main Command Center. Kylo glanced over his shoulder down at her from time to time, but she refused to make eye contact. She was planning something. That was obvious.

Kylo exhaled, letting his mind settle on their footsteps as a garrison of Storm Troopers accompanied them to the Throne Room. Admiral Kux had insisted on the troopers. His insistence was partly out of loyalty to the Supreme Leader, and partly an intended insult. It insinuated that Kylo couldn't handle a single Force sensitive girl on his own. He was used to the admiral's needling. It had almost become common-place. After the years of fighting, it was expected.

He glanced down at Rey once more, taking in the sight of her hair and her sun-kissed skin. The years of fighting hadn't scarred her. She was still just as breathtaking as she'd always been. Except more so. The years had been kinder to her than him. Kylo knew he was as strong as he ever was. But he had not grown. She had. Rey had turned into a mature beauty, shedding the child-like fear and insecurities like a winter jacket. Rey stood tall, her slender frame holding her power with ease and confidence. She had grown even stronger in the Force, trained and lethal. When he didn't want to kill her, he liked looking at her. Kylo silently took in the sight of her slim fingers, strong arms, and graceful neck. So beautiful. He only wished that he could appreciate her beauty completely. He could imagine her spread out on his bed, her lithe form naked and wrapped around him in the dark.

Rey turned to meet his gaze, her green eyes cool. "Your thoughts betray you, Kylo Ren."

Kylo looked away. "They are my thoughts. If you find them disturbing, perhaps you shouldn't listen to them."

They kept walking in silence for a few minutes, nearing the throne room. Rey let out a harsh little sigh, her shoulders shaking from it. "Soon it won't matter anyway."

He listened to her words. They could be taken in multiple ways. Either she thought she was going to die, or she was going to kill him, or they were all going to die. Despite himself, he actually hoped for a better outcome. Once his Master had been able to show her the true nature of the Force, perhaps they could set aside this childish fighting. She wouldn't resent him so. Together they could finally bring true order to the galaxy. Together, with her at his side, they would be unstoppable.

Finally they halted outside the doors of the Throne Room. With a hiss, the door opened and they walked in. Kylo halted as they came into the room, averting his eyes, "Master, I have returned."

The aged Supreme Leader's voice was low, but it came to Kylo's ears like the ragged breathing of a dying animal, "So I see. And I also see that you have brought the One of Promise with you."


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks all to those who review and follow. Those reviews keep me going. I hope you enjoy. This story is nowhere near finished. :)**

Chapter 7

*The Power of the Dark Side*

Kylo gave Rey a sideways glance. After five long years, they had finally come to this moment. He had chased her from one side of the galaxy to the other. She had always managed to evade him. Until now. Although he would never speak it out loud, he secretly watched in internal tension. _Don't make me destroy you_ , he whispered through the Force. He knew she could hear him. The fact that she could read him like a book was uncanny, but it was a fact. His Master was the only other person who could attain such instant insight to his mind. Rey must be more powerful than he ever imagined.

Rey met his gaze, but her only answer was silence. Perhaps the foolish girl thought she was going to get through this unscathed.

"Dismiss your troops," The Supreme Leader said, his jaw shaking somewhat as he said the words, "We do not need them."

Kylo nodded, then turned to the mass of Stormtroopers and moved his hand in a silent signal. The armored men did as they were told, simultaneously turning on their heels and marching out of the throne room. The massive door closed behind them.

They were alone now, in the highest point of the city. The Throne Room was above the command center in a high tower of glass. It was where his master would stretch his mind across the galaxy, delving into the Dark Side of the Force like a fish in a deep and endless ocean. The Supreme Leader could control countless galaxies from where he sat on his throne, and he didn't even need to lift a finger.

"Her lightsaber," His master hissed the words out slowly, "Give it to me."

Kylo did as he was told. Striding up to the throne, he held out Rey's weapon, and Snoke took it in his pale, blue-veined hands.

"Oh yes," Master Snoke whispered, "I have waited many years to meet you, child."

Kylo backed slowly away and stood off to Snoke's right hand. He stared down at Rey from his place beside the Supreme Leader's throne. There was no way out now. Nowhere for her to hide. She would be like him now, naked and weak against his master's strength.

Snoke's bald head tilted to the side as he gazed at Rey with one of his better eyes, "You are strong in the Force, child. With my teaching, I could make you more powerful than you've ever dreamed."

Rey grit her teeth, "I have a teacher," she spat out, "I will never be your student."

A fierce cackle escaped Snoke's thin lips between his gums, "Oh yes, Luke Skywalker. I believe his tutelage to be somewhat…" He glanced at Kylo then, his midnight black eyes saying a million unspoken words within an instant, "Lacking."

Rey's gaze flickered to Kylo, and he remained unmoving.

"Come closer, child," Snoke muttered.

Rey took three steps closer, her eyes widening as she drew nearer to the ancient being. "You won't convert me to the Dark Side. Soon your reign will end."

"Oh so certain are you?" Snoke muttered, his gaping gums hitting each other in a repulsive smacking noise, "Undoubtedly you believe your pitiful band of Resistance fighters hidden within this city have a chance?"

All the color drained from Rey's features, and her mouth dropped open, "How did you-?"

Snoke cut her off, "You underestimate the power of the Dark Side," he cackled again, "Our security measures have already begun to weed out your cohorts. I foresaw your intentions the moment you came into the planet's atmosphere."

Once more, she glanced at Kylo, and he saw the shock and horror radiate from her eyes. When he'd first felt it, the utter shock of having his thoughts ripped from his head was like a bandage being ripped from a wound. The first time it happened to him, he had been very young. She would get used to it too. In time.

"Yes, it is all but too easy to perceive," Master Snoke muttered, "And your Resistance fleet, coming any moment through hyperspace. They won't receive the welcome they're hoping for."

Rey shook her head slowly.

Supreme leader Snoke flipped a switch in his ebony granite throne, "Admeral Kux, how many Resistance fighters do we have in custody so far?"

"Six so far, Supreme Leader," Kux answered, "We are going through the ranks of the troopers to find the imposters. We will find them all." The intercom shut down with a fluttering noise.

Nobody moved.

Rey's eyes were wide, and she gazed down at her hands.

Kylo stared at her. She kept clenching and unclenching her fists. She was so close. So angry. He could feel the anger radiate off her like heat from a fire. Master Snoke was right. She must have hidden her fighters in the armor of the fallen storm troopers. Kylo had all but invited them inside for supper. It was brilliant, but Snoke had foreseen it. Not only that, but the Resistance was in hyperspace even now, hoping and praying that the shield generators protecting the base were destroyed.

The Resistance would be slaughtered. There wouldn't be a single ship, fighter, or escape pod that would be spared. Their defeat would be complete.

"It is unavoidable, child," Lord Snoke whispered in the silence, "Ever since you were born, this has been your destiny."

Rey shook her head, her eyes still wide, "You're wrong."

"Oh?" Snoke asked, glancing over his shoulder and out the massive window toward the stream of stars above the planet, "Here they come now."

As if in a trance, Rey came up the steps toward the throne and stood beside Kylo. Her eyes were so wide, and her mouth was agape. Her gaze flickered to him once more, and Kylo could hear her voice in his mind once more.

 _How could you?_ She whispered to him.

He could see the hurt, disbelief, and anger all rolled into one. She looked up at him with it in her eyes. _Don't fight it,_ he whispered. _It will be better for you if you don't fight it._

In that moment, a violent explosion rocked the starlit sky above them as a Resistance war-cruiser came out of hyperspace and collided with the planet's shield. Its flaming debris shattered and fell to the ground in a showering of fiery death and dismay.

Rey began to shake.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

(A.N. Thanks for all the reviews. I'm not dead! (yet) but just ill. Thanks for the well-wishes, and I hope you enjoy. This isn't the best because I'm not running at my best. Sorry. )

Another Resistance ship existed out of Hyperspace, and shattered against the planet's shield. It flowered in a destruction of fire and blinding light. Hundreds of Resistance fighters, instantly killed in a shattering moment of pain and fire.

Kylo watched as Rey cried out a muffled scream. She grasped at her ears, hearing the shrieks of her friends through the Force as their lives were instantly taken.

He could hear them too. He could fear their terror and pain. But it was a worthy sacrifice. They were murderers and traitors, and it was a quick punishment for their misdeeds. Although Rey couldn't see it now, perhaps in time she would understand their sacrifice was for the greater good.

Tears came to Rey's eyes, and her entire body shook harder. "Stop," she whispered under her breath, "Stop this, Kylo."

Taking a breath, he stepped closer. This was closer than he had been before. He could see her eyelashes clumped with unshed tears, and her cheeks flush.

Rey looked up at him, her green eyes filled with angry tears that began to spill down her cheeks. "Stop them. Stop this now. They are your family, too."

Shaking his head slowly, Kylo looked at her. "I have no family, Rey."

Rey looked away, clenching her hands into fists at her sides.

Another shuddering boom erupted around them, shaking the glass tower as another star cruiser crashed against the energy shield above.

"You have to learn," Kylo whispered, his voice only barely audible over the sound of explosions, "There is no other way."

Rey's eyes flickered up to him, the hurt and anger suddenly being replaced with something else. Rage. It burned in her eyes like the fires above them. Kylo recognized the fire, because it was what ran through him. He recognized the captivating energy that ate at his heart daily. The Dark Side was taking hold.

A darkness took over Rey's countenance in that moment; her eyes locking onto his with a ferocity that could only be matched by a sun gone supernova. "I will end this, Kylo Ren," she growled out under her breath, "And you will be sorry."

In that moment, she drew the Force to her like she was breathing it in. Everything around them vibrated from it, and a hum filled Kylo's ears like a roaring wind. As he blinked, she called her lightsaber to her from Snoke's throne.

The lightsaber soared through the air, and she caught it as she leapt toward the black granite throne where his master sat. She was fast, but Kylo was faster this time.

He met her, his saber drawn. Standing between her and Snoke. She brought everything she had down on him, not only her entire weight but the sheer power she wielded. Kylo gasped, his muscles buckling as he held her blade at bay with his own. The power she could wield was at least over two hundred pounds against him. She used the Force like a sledge hammer.

He grit his teeth, turning his own strength to the brunt of her attack and making her step back.

She summersaulted backwards, her training making her light on her feet. Kylo strode down the steps, holding his saber in his hands. "You think you will end me, Rey?" he asked, his breath coming back to him now, "Don't you know this is your destiny?"

Hunkering down, Rey held her blue lightsaber in an offensive position, "I don't want to destroy anyone, but I will destroy you, Kylo. I will kill you to save my friends."

"They're only using you," he muttered, closing the distance between them, their sabers clamoring in a shower of sparks as their energies hissed and fizzed against one another in battle.

"You speak of using," Rey gasped, swinging a vicious arc with her saber against his right side.

He blocked the slice.

"You are the one being used!" She cried, making a jabbing motion, which he deflected.

She was more powerful, but he had more practice. Kylo was able to fend off her attacks, but her onslaught was tiring. With every blow, she had at least two hundred pounds of pressure she wielded with it. He was larger than her, and it was only because he was strong with the Force himself, that he was able to keep her blade at bay.

He grunted, beating her back with a quick parry and jab. "The Resistance uses Jedi, Rey," he yelled, "They've been using us since the beginning! It's time we changed it. We're not their little justice keepers. What do they know about justice? They're all politicians! All they care about is themselves."

"So you rule the galaxy under Snoke's shadow?" She threw herself at him, all her rage turning her into a projectile that wished to carve out his heart.

He evaded her, stepping to the side just before her blade reached his ribcage. "My Master can bring peace to this galaxy!" he yelled, "Why can't you see that? You and I, we could be free. Free from the demands of the Republic or Resistance-"

She jabbed her blade at his face, and he took a step back only to meet her, "We could bring a new era for the Jedi. Together, we'd be unstoppable!"

Rey took a step back, panting as she shook with a tangible rage. "I will never join you."

Kylo breathed heavily, taking several steps back. Why was Snoke so quiet? Had his master simply decided to let him do all the talking? Wasn't Snoke the one who was supposed to be the one to turn the girl? What was going on?

Rey advanced, sweat dripping down her chin. Her cinnamon hair clung to her forehead from where it had fallen half out of its braid. She was a fierce type of beauty then, her lips turning cherry red and her eyes wild.

"Don't make me destroy you, Rey," Kylo breathed.

A large explosion shook the tower as a Resistance Mega-Cruiser burst into flame above them. Kylo lost his footing as the floor beneath them rumbled and shook. He fell back, desperate to find his balance.

Rey came after him, holding her saber above her head in a classic strike-move.

Kylo saw his chance. He could cut her down then, his blade could easily find her heart and lungs. Either he moved for the strike, or she would fatally wound him. In that moment, time stood still. He gazed up at her, her eyes filled with hurt and anger as she bore down on him. Her hair flew around her face. He had to strike. He had to. If he didn't, she could kill him.

He exhaled and meant to move to strike. He couldn't. He physically couldn't. His body, and what was left of Ben Solo, wouldn't let him.

Kylo tried to roll away, but it was too late.

Rey's searing blade lanced him up his side, from his hipbone to right at his rib cage.

Kylo tried to muffle his scream, but half of it still escaped from his lips as he clung to his side. He stared up at her from where he lay on his back.

She came forward, her blade at his throat.

He crawled backwards, desperate to move past the pain. She was going to kill him, then. So be it. Ironic, that death would be the only true way to end his pain.

(a.n. not to worry, i intend to update soon. Thanks for the reviews!) 


	9. Chapter 9

**(A.N. Thanks for the reviews all! I'm still not feeling well, so this isn't gonna be as good as it could be. Hope you enjoy anyway. More chapters to come, but the reviews really urge me on, lol. Keep those reviews coming! Thanks all!)**

Chapter 9

She stood over him, triumphant. Breathing heavily, Rey stared. He could feel her thrill at the reality of beating him. It was a vicious and sweet victory to her. The hunted had become the hunter, and she reveled in it.

Kylo tried to crawl backward, but the muscles in his left side and been severed. Grimacing, he felt as his body refuse to work for him. Letting out a faint cry, he fell to the ground again. He couldn't sit up right now.

He saw Rey's blue lightsaber at his throat. She would kill him, he could feel the righteous conviction in her mind easily. Looking past the lightsaber, he stared up at Rey.

She stood over him, her mouth taking in gasps of air as she was winded from battle. Her eyes still burned with the Dark Side. She was hungry now. Hungry for his blood like a carnivore was hungry for a fresh kill.

Snoke's voice came across the throne room's expanse and cackled in the air, "Strike."

Rey blinked, the rest of her body freezing in place.

"End him now!" Snoke rasped, "He's the one who has hounded you. Hurt you. Hurt your friends."

Rey didn't bring her eyes away from Kylo, but instead her gaze intensified.

Kylo gasped, feeling himself starting to shake. He was going to go into shock. He pushed the pain to the back of his mind, desperately trying to comprehend what was going on around him. He shook his head, dragging himself from the edge of unconsciousness. What was his master saying? It couldn't be true. His master would never betray him. He would never forsake his most loyal servant and apprentice. Kylo took in a deep breath and dragged himself to sit up on his right elbow to look over to his Master.

Supreme Leader Snoke moved in his throne, exhaling and standing. "He is weak, Rey," Snoke breathed, "While you are strong. End him. He would hold you back from your true destiny. He would weaken you."

Kylo had heard these whisperings before. He had grown up with them in the back of his mind. Snoke never yelled when he was trying to prove a point. He only whispered. It was the quiet and repetitive whisperings that would eventually replace anyone's true thoughts with his.

So this was how it would end. He was too weak, and Rey would replace him. After all he'd done. After all he'd sacrificed. This was Snoke's plan all along. Kylo had never been the one Snoke trained to lead. Instead, he had been the sacrifice to turn Rey. . Kylo's head spun, and the room began to swim.

"Join me," Snoke whispered, his voice the only sound in the high throne room, "And together, we will change this galaxy. Together, we could find your family."

Kylo struggled to concentrate on his master's words. Find her family? Delving into the Force, Kylo could tell that his master spoke truth. Or what appeared to be truth. But Kylo knew different. Snoke had sent him on many missions searching for Rey's family, in the hope to understand her origins. To understand the girl's origins would be to understand her strengths and weaknesses. Kylo had never found anything. Every clue, every whisper, it had all lead to nothing. Rey's family was undoubtedly dead. Yet, his master promised otherwise?

"Together, we will find your family," Snoke repeated, walking down the steps of his throne and closer to Rey, "I sense they have been searching for you."

Lies. All of it. Kylo blinked, his mind spinning. Yet it felt like truth. Kylo searched the Force. His senses were fooled. Snoke was lying, but yet he could conceal it. He was a master of deceit. Kylo brought in a shuddering gasp, his side screaming at him with every breath he took. Snoke had lied. He had lied from the beginning…And he fell for it. He had fallen for Snoke's deception. The realization was shattering. Kylo gasped again, feeling himself slump back to the floor.

"Together we can save your friends," Snoke whispered, coming ever closer, "Together, we can make everything better."

Kylo turned slightly, and saw Rey's eyes glaze over as she turned her attention away from him and toward Snoke. She was believing him. As Jedi are trained to follow their instincts, she was following hers. She was being deceived.

Kylo opened his mouth, his dry lips cracking from the effort, "Rey-"

Rey's attention snapped to him again, and the fire returned to her eyes. She lowered her saber, and held out her right hand, "Enough!"

Kylo felt an icy hand wrap itself around his windpipe. He was more shocked than surprised. His eyes watering, he dug at his collar with his right hand. She was choking him. Gagging, he tried to drag air into his lungs. No. She wouldn't let him. Gasping for breath, he could see the darkness closing in as his brain began shutting down. Reaching out, he whispered to her in the only way he knew how. _He lies_ , he whispered through the Force. _He lied to me, and he's lying to you. Don't let him turn you into me._

Moments later, Kylo didn't feel it when he hit the floor.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Rey stared down at Kylo's motionless body as his head fell to the ground and he lay still. Her jaw dropped open and her hands began to shake. The sight of him laying motionless shocked something deep inside her that it awoke her up from her rage-filled trance. She hadn't meant to kill him. But she'd lost control, and her anger had taken over her. Had she killed him? Her stomach knotted as she stepped closer. Shutting off her lightsaber, she knelt beside him and moved to check for a pulse. Would she have felt it if he had died? Possibly. They had an uncanny connection that had intensified over the years, but now, with their worlds coming to an end, who knew? Her head wasn't right, who knew what she would have noticed?

She moved aside his feathery black hair and felt for his pulse. _Please. Please come back_. Her insides began to shake as she felt nothing. Then, finally, her fingers made out a faint heartbeat. She exhaled. Thank the Force. In that moment she knew, that she could never kill Kylo Ren. If she killed him, ultimately, she would become something just as dark and twisted as he was. And not only that, but something deeper. Something more important. Something of destiny had always connected their paths of good and evil. To sever that connection would risk something far worse.

"Your pity is wasted," Snoke muttered, now standing above her, "He would see you dead to save his life."

Rey ignored the Supreme Leader, and glanced down to see the damage she'd inflicted. Dark crimson blood pooled from the gash in Kylo's side, falling into the cracks of the tile beneath him and splintering out like a red spider's web. His face was deathly pale, and his breaths came in shudders. Kylo, her nemesis, was bleeding heavily. A lightsaber's blade would burn the flesh, but since it was such an intense would, blood still seeped from the damage.

"He will die soon enough," Snoke muttered, now standing above her and less than three feet away, "It has always been his destiny to end like this. Even he knew it."

A thundering shook the building again, and Rey shuddered. What was it that Kylo had tried to tell her? She shook her head, trying to gather her thoughts. _He lies_. Something about Snoke lying. She glanced down at Kylo once again. He was strong in the Force. So strong. And yet he lay dying while she survived? He was descended from Skywalkers, and he had been led down the path to the Dark Side. He said someone lied.

A Jedi could tell when they were being lied to. It didn't feel right. The Force would instantly alert a Jedi to wrong-doing. It was an instant alert to anyone strong enough to sense it. Rey had always felt it. Relied on it. Trusted it. But now?

She turned her gaze to Snoke, who now stood eerily above her like a ghost in the darkness. Snoke lied. It had been Snoke who had led the boy once named Ben Solo to destruction. And Snoke had lied to him. He had found a way to conceal his intentions even through the clarity of the Force. Now Snoke was trying to do the same to her.

Rey swallowed hard and tightened her grip on her lightsaber. _No._ _Not this time._ Rey ignited her lightsaber, the weapon bringing an earie blue glow to their small scene. Slowly, she stood, gripping her weapon tight. "I will not be turned so easily, Supreme Leader," Rey said, her voice clear and even in the darkness around them, "You have failed. And today will be the day that your evil rule will end."

Snoke gazed at her, his aged face stoic for a few moments. Then, his façade of friendliness melted away like wax in the hot sun. His eyes, like deep black pools, squinted at her in the darkness. "So be it," he hissed, raising his ancient right hand, "Die, Jedi."

With that, he let loose a long strain of blue lightning from his fingertips.

Gasping, Rey leapt back, using the Force to propel her away. Lightning. Snoke could use lightning. When she landed, she moved back, seeking refuge. What could she do against lightning? She was no Jedi Master. Leaping once more, she threw a concussion throw. Using all her strength, she pushed against the aged creature with the power of a tornado.

Snoke deflected it easily. He came forward.

Rey stood her ground, trying to find a solution to her situation. Holding her lightsaber in a defensive position, she waited.

Snoke came at her, his thin hands raised in the air. With that, he struck her.

Rey's lightsaber held the lightning at bay only for a few moments. Then she was overpowered.

 **(A.N. I hope to have more installments soon. Plz review! I love those reviews, I hope you like what i have written, can't wait to show you what i have planned for the next chapters!)**


	11. Chapter 11

(A.N. oh thank you all so much for your reviews! you're the best readers ever! I hope to get more chapters to you soon. Have a great week!)

Chapter 11

Kylo awoke to an empty silence. It was a contained silence, as if the sound had been completely sucked from the room. Something was wrong.

He coughed, his throat wheezing as he drew a harsh breath. Rolling over, he felt the fire in his side once more, and he remembered what happened and where he was. Where was Rey?

 _Rey?_ He whispered her name through the Force, _Rey where are you?_

Silence was all that answered him.

Wincing, he stood up slowly. Taking in a shaky breath, he pressed against his side. Fire. His side felt as if it was on fire. He knew better than to look at it. From the weak feeling in his legs, he could tell he'd lost a substantial amount of blood. He was lucky he could stand.

Kylo turned around slowly, calling his lightsaber to his open palm from where it lay on the floor six feet away. He felt something odd through the Force. Something like a shaking ripple in a pool, as if the center of the universe had an unnatural current pulsing through it. It made him feel dizzy.

Dragging his eyes up, Kylo saw his master standing over Rey's prone body. She lay on her back, sprawled on the steps leading to the throne. Her hair had fallen completely from the bun, and it created a halo around her.

Snoke stood above her, one pale hand hovering over her forehead.

Another wave of dizziness swept over him, and he blinked as he tried to regain his balance. Kylo took several steps forward, coming up to Snoke silently, "W-what are you doing?" he muttered, still trying to clear his head, "What have you done?"

Snoke's head snapped up to look at Kylo, his eyes now glowing with an unearthly red light, "Silence! It is nearly done."

Kylo shuddered. He gazed down at Rey. She looked...cold. As if she was freezing to death. Her lips were a blue color, while her nose and cheeks had turned an icy white. "What have you done to her?" Kylo breathed, a sick feeling settling in his stomach.

"So much life," Snoke whispered, "So much talent to be born with. So much beauty. And I would not waste it." He turned back to gaze down to Rey, his hand still hovering over her forehead.

"What have you done?" Kylo rasped, his voice scratching from his lips.

"Shh!" Snoke hissed, "The transfer of life is a delicate matter."

Kylo felt a cold shudder from his fingertips to his toes. Transfer of life? It was by stealing the lives of those with potential that Snoke lived to such an extreme old age? Kylo instantly knew it to be true. Snoke would drain Rey of her life, her beauty, and her talent in the Force. He would kill her so that he could add on multiple years to his unending tenure of existence. Kylo coughed, gripping his lightsaber firmly in his hand. "Get…Away."

Snoke turned back to Kylo slowly, "What did you just say?"

Kylo let out a shuddering breath. He felt the weakness grow in his legs, and in that instant he knew he wouldn't live through what was going to happen next. Ignoring the burn in his side, he ignited his lightsaber. The rough red hue of the blade turned the scene crimson around him, and the angry crystals hissed and crackled in the silence.

He knew what it meant to oppose his master's will. Kylo had witnessed Snoke's blinding power in the darkness he now lived in. Glancing down one last time at Rey's motionless form, Kylo held resolute. He couldn't live without Rey's small star in the universe. It was what made his life bearable. The dark monster eating away at his heart left him in agony with every breath he took, and the only glimpse of peace came from her. Late at night, when he gazed up at the eternities and felt her out there, he found solace. If her spark left the galaxy, he would just as soon die.

Finally the words came to his lips again, as if they were being dragged out of him by a ghost, "Get away from her."

Snoke rose to his full height and turned away from Rey's motionless form, "You dare betray me, Kylo Ren?"

Kylo swallowed, a bitter taste rising up his throat.

Snoke took several steps toward Kylo, reading every single thought in his mind instantly. Understanding every reason why Kylo was doing what he did in that moment. "Traitorous fool," Snoke hissed, his toothless mouth spitting out the words like poison, "You were always weak," he muttered, coming even closer, "You would die for a witless girl."

Kylo took a step back, thinking he knew what would happen next. He was wrong.

To Be Continued!

(sorry it's not very long, but plz review anyway! It takes more than you'd think to write this dialogue! Lol! Hope your week is good. I'm still sick. Yuck. Another reason why the updates have been few and far between.)


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Rey awoke to the sound of someone calling her name. Or she thought someone called her name. She stirred, opening one eye and then the other to stare up at the high ceiling of the Throne Room. Slowly, her senses returned to her. She could hear the sound of Snoke's cackling, and the hiss of a lightsbaer. Staring up at the ceiling, she could see a red glow dance with white sparks.

She took in a deep breath and sat up slowly. Where was she? What was going on? She felt as if she had been in a deep sleep for hours. Yet she knew only minutes had passed.

Focusing on the room around her, Rey could see what was going on. In a bizarre turn of events, Kylo and Snoke were now battling in a vicious cat and mouse fight. Where Snoke would throw his lightning, Kylo would freeze it in midair and dodge it before it struck him. However, Kylo was getting repeatedly slower, and continuously less and less responsive. He was tiring. With every lightning strike, Kylo only barely managed to evade it. Blood still dripped down from the gash in his side, and he favored it.

Rey got to her feet slowly, and called her lightsaber to her hand. She didn't know what had triggered this; but if Kylo was against Snoke, she was on Kylo's side. And Kylo only had mere minutes before-

Snoke let loose another band of blue and purple lightning.

Kylo moved to freeze it, but something was wrong. He was too weak, too tired, too drained of blood. He didn't catch it in time.

Snoke's lightning threw Kylo off his feet and into the air.

Rey watched, her mouth drooping open as Kylo hit the far off wall of the Throne Room. His lightsaber flew from his hands, and he lay on his back, stunned. She moved silently forward as Snoke came closer to Kylo, seemingly unsuspecting of her presence.

Snoke came to stand over Kylo, staring down at him. "You were right to fear," Snoke rasped, "You are not as powerful as Darth Vader."

Kylo stared up at Snoke, his face going pale. His eyes still held their fire, but his black hair clung to his forehead in a mass of cold sweat. This was it. Snoke would kill him now. "You took everything from me," Kylo muttered as blood trickled from his broken nose and into his mouth.

Snoke laughed, a bitter sound rising from his hallow gut. "You have done that yourself."

Kylo moved to call his lightsaber to him.

Snoke was faster.

Rey felt the pressure of the room change instantly as Snoke created an invisible massive weight, through the Force. A force field that equaled to a ton of concrete materialized, invisible and unstoppable out of thin air by Snoke's command. Without hesitation, he slammed this sheer power against his traitorous student in a merciless and crushing motion. Snoke did all of this with just the flick of his hand.

Kylo let out a muffled scream. Moments later there was a sickening _crack_ , and then another. One by one Kylo's bones broke like twigs underfoot. Rey's stomach churned at the sound.

Leaping forward, Rey ignited her lightsaber. Letting out a primal attack scream, she came at Snoke with all she had. She flew through the air, slicing off Snoke's right hand with precise and well-aimed jab.

Snoke howled, drawing his concentration away from Kylo. Glaring at Rey, his ancient eyes turned blood red in his white skull. "Fool!" He screamed, raising up his left hand.

Rey took a step back, holding up her lightsaber once more.

Snoke began to attack, but was shoved forward and off his feet by an invisible force field from behind.

Rey glanced over to the right, and saw that Kylo held up his hand. He had struck his master from behind. In that last moment, she met Kylo's gaze. He stared at her with his dark eyes, their surprising alliance confirmed in each other's minds. In that same instant however, the throne room floor began to shake and heave.

A giant explosion boomed beneath them, and fire illuminated the night in a yellow glow. The windows of the glass tower were unable to hold back the force of the explosion's concussion, and instantly shattered. Glass shards flew through the air in an invisible wave. Rey threw her free hand over her head as glass rained down on her.

Staring over her shoulder, she could see that Snoke was still recovering from Kylo's attack. She turned toward him, running over the unsteady ground.

Snoke met her with lightning.

Grunting, Rey felt the currents like a burning pain run through and over her body. She dropped her lightsaber, falling to ground and convulsing as every muscle in her body tensed. No longer able to contain her pain, she screamed. Closing her eyes she writhed as the lightning burned every inch of her.

Then, as if by some miracle, it stopped.

Rey opened her eyes to see Kylo slumped against the far wall, his right arm outstretched. He had frozen the lightning before it came for her.

Commanding her aching muscles to move, she rolled away and grabbed her lightsaber. Her head burning, she came at Snoke once more. Relentlessly, she moved forward as Kylo repeatedly protected her.

Another explosion hit as Rey advanced once more. Parts of the ceiling caved in around her as Snoke backed away.

"You would kill me?" He screamed over the sound of the explosions, "You don't have the power to kill me!"

Rey gripped her lightsaber, but wasn't ready for what happened next.

There was familiar sound overhead, and in the back of her mind she recognized the roar of X-Wing fighters. Finn had brought the shield down after all, and now the Resistance was destroying the city. Another explosion came at them, and it threw her off her feet completely.

Before she knew it she was covered in something dark. Lord Snoke had landed on top of her. He smelled of death and decay, and in horror she scrambled to get away. But he held onto her, grabbing her hair with his one hand. He clung to her like a huge black spider from a nightmare. She kicked, and brought the greatest energy of the Force to her in a shrieking panic. She used it like a battering hammer. The invisible field pushed Snoke away in that instant, and Rey felt her hair rip from her scalp.

The Force field carried the Sith Lord through the massive broken window, and directly into the mushroom cloud of an explosion below. He screamed, his voice carrying on the hot wind of his fiery death.

Rey gasped, instantly starting to shake. She stared out the open window from where she lay on the trembling ground of the Throne Room. He was gone. The darkness, the coldness, it was all gone. In that last moment of death, he had finally left his withering form.

She slowly got to her feet, every muscle aching. Carefully she walked over to the window and peered down at the destruction below as if to be sure that her senses were not lying to her. They weren't. Tearing her eyes away from the fiery depths of hell below, she gazed up to the sky and saw a familiar X-wing buzz the tower. That was when reality struck her.

Rey had to get out of there. Soon the entire city would be nothing but a smoking crater. She staggered as another explosion rocked the tower. Turning on her heel, Rey stumbled toward Kylo, "We have to leave! They're destroying the city."

There was no answer.

"Kylo?" Rey ran to where he lay on the ground amid the debris as the building shook. She knelt beside him. He wasn't dead. She could feel it. "Kylo, you have to wake up, we have to leave." Carefully she rolled him over, her muscles aching as she tried to move him. He was solid muscle. She knew instantly she wouldn't be able to carry him. "Wake up!"

He didn't respond.

She rested her palm on his forehead, remembering the trick that her master had taught her. _Wake up_ , she whispered _. You need to wake up_.

Kylo didn't move. He lay in his own blood, his body so abused that it had almost completely given up on him. He would certainly die within hours due to his injuries. But that wouldn't matter soon because the tower would be destroyed within minutes. Rey only had minutes, and they were ticking away.

"Kylo wake up!" Rey screamed, shaking him, "Kylo!"

He didn't respond at all. Not even a twitch.

Rey glanced around, hearing the hum of the X-Wing fighters coming closer. They were both going to die if she couldn't think of something.

Her heart began to race as she wiped the blood and sweat from her forehead with the back of her sleeve. What was she going to do? She had tried everything she knew. Slowly, she cradled him in her arms, shielding him from the debris falling from the ceiling. He shuddered at her physical contact. Carefully, Rey brushed his dark hair away from his face. Looking up she glanced around at the shaking Throne Room. This place would be their tomb if she couldn't figure something out. Rey took in a deep breath and held it, centering herself. "Ben?" She whispered, leaning down so close that her lips brushed against his ear. "Ben, wake up. Can you hear me? Wake up, Ben."

 _Ben…_

 _Ben._

 _Wake up._

 **TBC**

 **(A.N. yes I know I'm horrible! I hope to get the last chapters soon. But you have to admit that was a lot of work! Plz review, I hope I didn't disappoint!)**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Ben." The familiar voice called. Who was it? "Ben! Ben, wake up."

He stirred, feeling the blankets of a familiar bed around him in the calm darkness of his room on Couriscant. "Dad?" He muttered, opening one eye and seeing the familiar surroundings of his bedroom. It was still dark, and the lights of the city pooled on one side of his wall. Was it time for school already?

"Wake up, Kid," Han Solo leaned halfway through his open bedroom door, the warm light of the early morning living quarters illuminating his face. Undoubtedly, his mom was already up. She had probably been up for hours, while C-3PO bustled around making a nuisance of himself in the kitchen. "You're gonna be late. Luke says he wants you to be at the ship in less than an hour." He glanced over his shoulder at the sound of the breakfast table being set in the kitchen, "Mom got you breakfast."

Closing his eyes, Ben felt his body ache from exhaustion. He felt the call to sleep once again, luring him to the sweet darkness of peace. "I'm tired," he moaned. _So tired. Hurting_.

"You've got stuff to do," Han answered.

Ben drew the warm blankets around himself, feeling the comfort of his bed swallow him up. He let out a small groan in protest. Just five more minutes. He felt like he could stay there forever. Sleep. Rest. Be at peace in this memory. He didn't care if he was late to his uncle's ship. He didn't want to go to the Jedi Academy. All that could wait. He just wanted to be here. Sleep in his own bed, be with his family. Wasn't that all anyone could ask for?

The side of his bed bent in, and he felt his father's hand on his shoulder. "I know you're tired, but you gotta get up now."

Ben shook his head, keeping his eyes safely closed. "No, Dad. I don't want to leave."

"Look kid, all I know is that you were born with a big destiny," Han answered, his voice low, "I don't know what it is. But I've got faith in you."

He didn't move.

"Come on, Ben," Han said, getting up to stand next to the bed once more, "Get up. Time time to get moving."

Ben could hear his father's footsteps toward the door of his room, and he moved to see him just one last time. _Dad?_

 _Wake up._

 _Ben, wake up._

Ben opened his eyes as the dream melted away, being replaced by a crushing reality. Everything hurt, and his vision was blurry for few minutes. Slowly it cleared, and he found himself staring up into Rey's green eyes. She cradled him, her small warm body holding him away from the cold ground.

"Thank the Force," Rey muttered, "Can you stand?"

He blinked, only barely understanding what she was saying. It hurt to breathe, let alone stand. One of his legs was broken, while his left arm was shattered in three places. Taking a deep breath, he tried to sit up.

The effort made his head swim. A deep rumbling came to his ears, and he saw the familiar glow of fire on the walls around him. Laying back, he felt Rey's arms around him. She held him so close, he could hear the heartbeat racing in her chest. She was so scared. But she clung to him as if she could keep him safe from the erupting world around them. Rey was trying to save him. He swallowed, tasting his own blood in his mouth. She didn't deserve to die like this. Why was she still here?

He looked up at Rey again, seeing her eyes go wide. "Go," he muttered, fighting the urge to close his eyes again, "Leave." This was his fate. He had brought it on himself. He should die in fire and ruin. He deserved it.

To be continued!

(A. N. Yes I know it's short, but I will update soon I promise!)


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Rey stared down at the man who had chased her across the galaxy and back. Amazing now how while the world was burning around them, he lay in her arms. He stared up at her, his brown eyes soft. His expression hid the raging hurt and hopelessness she could feel inside him. He was in agony, not only physically but mentally. The man named Kylo Ren was dead, and now all that was left was battered remainder of Ben Solo. He was in pieces, like a beautiful painting that had been ripped to shreds. He breathed in agony and exhaled despair.

"Go," he whispered, his voice shaking, "Leave me." _I want to die_.

Rey's mouth dropped open. Leave him? She could never leave him. The feeling was confounding, but it was still true. She'd fought on desert planets and snow covered mountains, and she had never left an ally behind. Unlikely as it was, he was now her ally. "No," she answered, "I can't leave you here. You'll die."

His dark eyes glanced around.

He had saved her earlier. Despite all odds, all logic, he had saved her from his dark master. Rey bit at her lip, feeling the tower shudder beneath them. If nothing else, perhaps that motivation could still save him. "I won't leave you," she said over the roar of a close explosion, "Either you get up and we get to the hanger bay, or we both die today."

Ben Solo, ragged and beaten to a pulp, met her gaze and knew instantly that she spoke truth. His eyes hardened, and he took in another breath.

Rey felt him draw every ounce of strength he could muster. His entire body shook, but he sat up. Moving away from him, Rey stood and held out her hands as the world shook around them.

He lifted his head, staring up at her silently.

 _Take my hand_ , Rey whispered through the Force. _Let me get you away from here_.

After a small hesitation, he reached up and grabbed her left hand.

Rey grasped his hand with both of hers. Using the Force to give her strength, she helped him get to his feet.

He leaned on her heavily, and together they made their way toward the exit as the roof of the Throne Room finally caved in. Together they traversed a world on fire, using the Force to give them the strength they didn't have. With Ben's arm wrapped around her shoulders, they staggered through Hell. Fire, explosions, and chaos surrounded them as they struggled to make it to the launching pad on the lower level.

Breathing heavily, Rey looked up to see the last ship on the launching pad. It was a troop transport carrier, with its ramp still down. Without weapons, it would be defenseless to the Alliance fighters. "There!" She cried over the sound of the explosions surrounding them, "Up there! Come on!"

Ben didn't reply, his hair had fallen into his face again as he slumped forward with every step he took. He was only barely able to walk, he wasn't going to answer her. He was using all his concentration to stay on his feet, using the Force to help him remain upright and balanced.

As the landing pad shivered beneath them, they stumbled up the ramp and into the carrier. The moment they reached the interior hold, Ben slumped to the cold floor beneath them. Crumpled in on himself he lay there, having done what she had demanded and nothing more.

Rey reached up and slammed the ramp sensor, making it seal up on itself. Bolting to the cockpit, she jumped into the pilot's seat as she revved the engines. She grabbed the com headset, "Two-one-five, Alpha!" She yelled into the com link, lifting the landing gears and starting up the sub space engines, "Red-two do you read me? This is Seven-Two-Five, I'm in a transport carrier, do not destroy. Repeat, I am in a First Order transport carrier, do not destroy!"

A familiar voice came over the com, "Rey?" Poe asked, his voice filled with a mixture of relief and excitement, "Is that you?"

"Yes it's me," Rey turned the carrier around and aimed to the starlit sky above.

Dameron let out a whoop of excitement, and she could hear the exclamations of the rest of the squadron in the background, "I knew you'd make it out!" he cheered.

"Thanks, just make sure your boys don't blow me out of the sky," Rey answered as she sped the sluggish transport cruiser up and into the dark sea of stars above.

"Sure thing, Rey," Dameron answered with his usual swagger, "I'll see you tonight and the rendezvous point. It's gonna be one hell of a party."

Rey glanced over her shoulder to see Ben slumped on the floor of the transport carrier. She couldn't bring him back to the Resistance. Under the command of a New Republic, he would receive a life sentence in prison. At worst, they would sentence him to a firing squad. She couldn't let that happen. Rey swallowed, punching coordinates into the data computer, "That's a Negative Red-Two," she answered, "Tell General Organa I won't take long, but I can't make it to the rendezvous point. I have something I need to do."

"Rodger that," Poe answered, "May the Force be with you, Rey."

Rey felt a tired smile pull at the edges of her mouth, "You too."

With that she punched the transport carrier into the cool silence of hyperspace, and the stars turned to streams all around them. Rey's shoulders sagged, and she let out a small gasp. Had they really made it? She glanced around the cool air conditioned cockpit. Slowly, she looked over her shoulder and saw that Ben was silently watching her from where he had collapsed to the floor.

He blinked slowly, his eyes sunken in and his features deathly pale. Ben looked as if death held him close now, but still he hung on. _Thank you_.

Rey got up from the pilot's chair and touched a button on the nearby control, opening the medi-kit cabinet. She didn't know if he was thankful for her saving him or the fact that she hadn't just handed him over to the resistance. The fact that she had gotten a thank you from him at all made her uncomfortable. She wasn't used to that level of sincerity. Their confrontations were almost always sarcastic, laced with a bitterness that came from being enemies. This was not the norm, and it made her feel uncomfortable. "Don't thank me yet," Rey muttered, "I'm a mechanic, not a healer." Taking an oxygen mask out of the cabinet drawer, she bent down and placed it over his nose and mouth carefully.

He didn't answer. He only stared up at her, too shattered to move or speak.

Rey wished she could comfort him. It was her nature to comfort him. In that moment, he was the most pitiful being that she had ever seen. Once mighty and fearsome, he had lost everything. She opened a bacta pack and knelt beside him on the cold mettle floor of the transport ship. Rey carefully placed the healing gel to the gash on his side. She wished she could tell him everything would be all right, that the nightmare was over, and that things would get better. But deep down, Rey didn't know if it was true.

Ben closed his eyes. Carefully listening to her worry as he drifted away in an exhausted and pain-ridden sleep. Rey could feel it, and she knew that it gave him some sort of peace. She only wished she had an answer to the question of why the galaxy could be so cruel. Perhaps this was why their destinies had been intertwined. She had needed him in the battle against the Supreme Leader, while he needed her now. Perhaps it was in these little things, these twists and turns of fate, that the Force found its balance.

TBC

(A.N. Wow that was a struggle, okay, now what's going to happen to these two? Hmmm… More chapters to follow! Please review!)


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

It took an entire day to reach their destination. Rey and Ben were headed to one of the most far off planets Rey knew of. Somewhere on the outer rim. Someplace quiet. Someplace safe. Even if you were an enemy of the Resistance and a traitor to the First Order, you could hide there and nobody could find you.

The Twenty-four hours it took to reach their destination went on in complete silence. For six hours Rey worked on her fallen ex-enemy in tireless concentration and gentleness. As carefully as possible, she kept him away from the gates of hell. When he was awake, the man who used to be Kylo Ren simply stared at her as he underwent the pain of treatment. Through the Force she knew that his body would heal from its wound. But his spirit was a different story. It was as if his soul had passed through a lake of fire and lava, and only a burnt reminder of him remained.

Ben would go between the conscious world and unconscious world intermittently as the hours passed. However, as he slept, she could feel the silent warmth of the distant star inside him. It was the same sensation she had felt for the past five years whenever he searched for her. She sensed the small and quiet light inside him that held no anger or hate, and only suffering and loneliness. All these years, it had been Ben Solo who had looked to the stars searching for her.

This realization made her heart ache. Deep inside her chest, she felt herself weep silently for the man who had fallen. What would have happened if he had resisted the urge of the Dark Side? Who would he have been? And even a different question remained, scratching at the back of her mind: What could they have been to each other?

Rey sighed, wiping at her forehead with her shaking hands. How long had she been awake? Closing her eyes for a moment, she felt herself sway as she knelt beside her patient. Just five minutes of rest? That wouldn't hurt, would it?

Opening her eyes, she got to her feet. Her legs shook just as hard as the rest of her, and she felt nauseous as the world spun. So tired. Rubbing at her arms, she felt goosebumps. Space was cold. With clumsy hands, she rummaged through the cabinets, searching for blankets. Finally she found some. Of course there were no beds, the ship was a troop carrier. Troop carriers were usually glorified ferries for taking troops from larger ships to ground units. They were not for long term space travel.

Stumbling back to where Ben lay on the floor, Rey carefully placed a blanket over him. She should have done it earlier. Grimacing, she only now noticed how cold he looked.

Slowly she knelt beside him, placing a bundle of blankets carefully under his head. The movement didn't wake him. With her hand still shaking, she carefully brushed away his dark hair from his face. This would probably be the most tender she would ever allow herself to be toward him. He had done things. Hurt people. And Rey doubted she could ever let herself forgive him.

Turning away, Rey grabbed the remaining blankets and dragged them a few feet to the other side of the hall. She collapsed on the cold floor, pulling the blankets over her exhausted body. Turning on her side, she took several deep breaths as her eyes fluttered shut. Sleep. She felt as if she could sleep for a week. And yet? Rey opened her eyes just slightly, glancing at the man who slept less than six feet away. No. He didn't frighten her. She knew he wouldn't hurt her while she slept. He never could hurt her.

(A.N. More to come, I promise! Please review!)


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Eighteen hours later, the ship dropped out of hyperspace beside the oceanic planet of Cressic. On the outer rim of the galaxy, Cressic was a quiet place without a reputation and without any political preferences. It was the perfect place for Rey's passenger to hide, rest up, and heal. She could hitch hike her way back to the Resistance easily from here. A ship's captain was always on the look out of a good mechanic and pilot. Ben Solo could keep the troop transport. It was relatively useless, but it would get him wherever he needed to go.

He hadn't stirred in hours.

Glancing back at him, Rey sighed. It was better this way. If she could get away without a confrontation, perhaps she could push the situation to the back of her mind and forget it. So many strict rules had been bent and broken in the past forty-eight hours. Roles had been changed. The unthinkable had been considered, and enemies had become allies. The world was spinning out of control. She had to get away.

After docking in a hanger, Rey searched the ship for clothing and food. She found both. Slipping on a jacket, she stashed several packets of rations in her pockets. Standing in the hallway near the hatch controls, she clipped her lightsaber to her belt and drew her hair into a tight bun. This was the way it was always meant to be, it seemed. The universe kept moving, and she would always disappear into the night. Always.

She glanced one last time over her shoulder toward the man sleeping on the floor behind her. Slowly, she reached into her pocket and opened a rations pack. He would be hungry when he woke up. Would he have the strength to find the food himself? Silently, she knelt and placed the opened rations beside him. There. She had done all she could. Now she could walk away with a clean conscience.

Perhaps it was her closeness that drew him out of his sleep.

Just before she was going to get up, he opened his brown eyes slowly and stared up at her. He focused completely on her, and it made her freeze in place.

Ben Solo opened his mouth, his chapped lips moving painfully, "You're leaving," he muttered, his deep voice startling the complete silence of the room.

Rey nodded, "I have to get back to the Resistance."

His eyes flickered toward the cockpit, "Where are we?"

"Cressic," Rey answered flatly, rocking back on her heels.

He frowned, bringing his attention back to her, "Why?"

"It's safe here," Rey glanced out the cockpit windows, "You can rest here. Heal."

He started to sit up.

"You shouldn't move," Rey whispered, "I brought you food. Eat."

He relaxed, glancing down at the meager yet life-saving rations. "Why?"

The question remained heavy in the air. Rey glanced at the rations, knowing full well he asked multiple queries in one. "No questions," she answered quietly, "Let it be. It is what it is." Rey stood, feeling stronger as she was further away from him. He weakened her somehow. Perhaps it was his eyes? His voice? The fact that she had nearly become the opposite of herself in his presence? She didn't know the answers. She didn't want to even consider the questions. "This is where I leave you," she whispered, turning on her heel and facing the exit.

She meant to leave him then, but she didn't. Instead, she looked over her shoulder and met his gaze. One. Last. Time.

He didn't move, and he didn't try to stop her.

Rey took in a deep breath and slid her hood over her head. "Goodbye," she whispered, her voice quieter than she expected. This was it. For now at least. Perhaps the man she just saved would eventually rejoin the First Order and hunt her once more. Perhaps the next time they met, she would be at his mercy.

Nothing was certain anymore.

Two years later, Rey strolled down a terrace beside an iridescent lake on the planet Naboo. The New Republic had decided to make Naboo its new Capital World, bringing the newest senators and representatives from every corner of the galaxy to the shimmering planet. Tonight, Rey stood outside a New Republic gala, wearing a sparkling silver evening gown with diamonds dripping down it like a thousand glittering tears. Silently, she gazed up into the twinkling night sky as the stars gleamed above. She was alone with her thoughts for the moment. These days it felt as if she was hardly ever alone.

After Snoke's death, General Organa had come to her and asked if Rey would be the symbol for the Alliance. Rey had agreed, thinking that it would mean more dangerous missions and flights to the furthest reaches of space. Instead, it had turned her into a pretty doll for the galaxy to admire. She was a hero among the Alliance, and a symbol of beauty and justice to the inner planets. However, Rey quickly learned that being a symbol left her feeling empty. It was as if every time she came to a party, or stood in a procession, a little part of her died. She was withering and drifting away in the wind, leaving behind the outer shell of herself.

She stared up at the heavens, thinking of the man who used to search her out every night from one corner of the galaxy to another. After she left him on Cressic, he hadn't looked for her since. It had been two years now, and she hadn't felt him search her out. Many times she had come to look up into the eternities and wonder where Ben Solo had wandered. Sometimes she even wondered if she should seek him out among the heavens. But pride had always stopped her. Undoubtedly, he would feel her searching for him. What did that say about her?

Perhaps it said that she was lonely. That in some strange way, she missed his quiet soul. Somehow, even though she didn't truly know him, she missed Ben Solo. Rey shook herself. No. That was nonsense. Perhaps she was just exhausted. She and Solo had an undeniable connection. But whatever it was, they had made their choices. He had chosen the dark, while she the light. Nothing would ever come of it.

Rey heard Finn's footsteps on the cool stone of the terrace, and didn't bother turning around, "You found me," she muttered, not taking her eyes away from the night sky, "Does General Organa need me?"

Finn came up to her, wearing impressively regal garb. "Whoa there, Hero. I just came looking for you is all. You okay?"

Rey glanced at her old friend in the moonlight, and let out a small sigh. "No. Not really."

Coming up to the bannister beside her, Finn leaned his hands against the railing and gazed out at the moonlit lake and stars. "I hear ya, it's not easy playing the perfect icon. Why don't you tell the General you want out?"

Rey shook her head, her diamond earrings swaying with the motion, "I don't know if I'll be happy even then," she whispered, her voice dipping low, "I guess I don't know what I am anymore."

"So now you don't know what to do with your life?" Finn's voice was soft, "Why don't you go get yourself a boyfriend? I know for a fact you could have any man in the Alliance. They all worship you."

Rey was used to Finn's flattery, but didn't respond to the compliment. He was trying to cheer her up; but it just wasn't working this time. "I never told you about what really happened," she muttered, "When Snoke died?"

"You never went into it," Finn answered, "I didn't want to press you. It was over, that's all that mattered. Kylo and Snoke are dead."

Rey turned to Finn, not saying a word.

Finn met her gaze, instantly understanding her silence. "What haven't you told me?"

Rey swallowed, her chest beginning to ache. "I didn't defeat Snoke. Not single handedly, at least. He beat me."

His mouth dropping open, Finn stared at Rey, "But you're here! Snoke is dead. What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I had help," Rey answered, "Kylo Ren. He saved me," she swallowed again, glancing away, feeling her voice catch, "I thought I was strong. I thought I could never go dark, and I almost did. I hurt him…I nearly killed him." She turned to look at Finn, and saw him look at her with wide eyes. Seeing Finn's shock, she looked away, "Snoke. He was too strong for me. I didn't have a chance." Her voice drifted off into nothingness, once again feeling completely alone. Finn was her dearest friend, but sometimes she knew that he couldn't understand every aspect of her life.

Slowly, Finn moved to place his warm hand over hers. "Go on," he whispered, "I get that I'm not a Jedi, Rey. I get that. But I am your friend." he squeezed her hand gently, "Tell me."

Rey looked at him for a moment, wondering if she should tell him the secret she had buried so deep for two years. "He saved me," she whispered, her voice low so that only Finn could hear her, "He saved me and I dragged him away from the base and brought him to the edge of the galaxy. I saved him from the fire."

He watched her for a moment, his eyes still wide. "He saved you," Finn squinted at her in the darkness, "Who saved you?"

"Kylo Ren," Rey answered, "Snoke had beat me, and he saved me from Snoke. Without his help, I could have never defeated Snoke."

Finn's lips turned into a deep frown, "Kylo Ren? That guy? He saved you?"

Rey touched her forehead, the pain of memory forever embedded in her mind. "I thought I had beaten him. But after two years I realized that he let me."

"He what?"

"He let me hurt him, Finn," She gazed up at her friend, "Kylo Ren let me beat him. I remember it like it was yesterday. He fell back and I moved to strike. He could have killed me instantly, but instead he tried to roll away. I nearly killed him."

"And he helped you?" Finn gazed at her in confusion.

"Yes. After Snoke beat me, Kylo didn't let him kill me," Rey sighed and turned away, "I couldn't just let him die."

"You saved Kylo Ren," Finn muttered, "What did you do, where did you take him?"

"I took him to Cressic," Rey answered, "I patched him up the best I could and I left him there. I haven't seen him or felt him search me out since."

Finn let out a short burst of air from behind his teeth. "Wow."

Rey nodded, "I know."

"Who else knows about this?" Finn asked, glancing over his shoulder to the glowing lights of the New Republic party.

"No one," Rey answered quietly, "You're the first I've ever told."

Nodding, Finn swallowed. "So he's still out there."

"Yes."

"What are you going to do now?" Finn's voice softened a bit. He was obviously trying to be sensitive to Rey's feelings, regardless of his own.

Rey glanced over her shoulder to gaze at warm glow of the party once more. "I think you're right," she muttered, "I think I will talk to General Organa. I think it's time I do some traveling."

"I am requesting a short leave," Rey said quietly, tugging at the sleeve to her jumpsuit. Standing in front of General Organa always made her feel nervous. "And I am also requesting the use of a ship. Something small, but preferably capable of long distance travel." She adored Leia, but the woman also intimidated her. Not that Rey was afraid of her, but only that Rey looked up to her so much that she was afraid of acting like an idiot infront of her.

Leia Organa, now standing in her relaxed nightgown of flowing satin, took two steps toward Rey. "I see," she said quietly, "May I ask where you're going?"

Rey looked down at the plush carpeting of the General's apartments, "I would rather not say, General."

"And you will be going alone?" Leia asked.

"Yes."

General Organa stared at Rey for a long moment, barely moving. Finally, she closed the distance between them and took Rey's hands in her own. "Take the Falcon," she whispered.

Rey blinked. "If you insist."

"I do." Leia answered quietly, "And I want you to tell my son that I love him."

Rey felt her mouth drop open, "General?"

Leia raised her chin ever so slightly, "The Force is strong in my family, Rey. I have felt your connection to him for some time."

Taking in a deep breath, Rey nodded slowly. "Of course."

"But I will warn you," Leia whispered, her voice soft but firm, "He is a Solo. He won't sit still for long. I learned that from his father. Solos are always meant to wander. It's just who they are."

Nodding slowly, Rey swallowed. "I don't know if I will even be able to find him."

A small smile pulled at the side of Leia's mouth. "I think you will."

TBC!

(plz review. The next few chapters are gonna be really fun. ;)


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The _Millennium Falcon_ dropped out of hyperspace to the beeping sound of the sub light engine alarm. Reaching over the empty co-pilot seat, Rey switched off the alarm and exhaled as she sat back. The ship orbited the planet Kabaan. It was a distant planet on the outer rim, inhabited mostly by human and aquatic species. It was a semi-oceanic planet with large lush patches of land. According to the data-computer, its one source of trade was its high quality metal mining. However, since it was so far out, the mining federations had ignored it. Because of this, it was a poor planet. But peaceful.

Rey guessed that the populace were simple farmers, away from the wars and problems of the rest of the galaxy. It made sense that Ben had come here, but still it was puzzling. Rey had not thought that he would hide away like this forever. It didn't seem to match his spirit. Yet Rey had followed his light here, making several stops along the way.

The man didn't respond to her quiet searching. Either he was ignoring her, or he simply couldn't tell that she was seeking him out. He seemed…content. Not necessarily happy. There was a sense of urgency in his spirit, as if he was working hard at something and yet questioning every move he made. But he was not as tortured as he once was. There wasn't a constant pain she remembered from the years previous. But still, the light inside him remained the same.

Steadily, Rey honed in on the bluish green planet and carefully brought the _falcon_ down through the crystal blue atmosphere. She landed outside a larger city. It reminded her of Jakku in a rustic sort of way. There were several other ships in a junk yard, and three mines that she had seen from space. Whatever mining operation was going on, it was small.

Rey shut down the engines and walked out of the rear hatch, throwing on a jacket as she did so. She had landed on the outskirts, so it took about thirty minutes for her to walk into town.

There was a large wall built of earth-brick around the major city. Rey walked through it slowly, feeling multiple eyes on her as she passed into the marketplace. The entire city was suspicious of her. Rey touched her lightsaber at her side as she walked past the venders and small shops. Everyone was watching her. What was going on? She understood this was a backwoods planet, but surely these people had seen Offworlders before.

Turning to look around her, Rey stopped beside a junker's store. The parts hanging in the store were old and outdated. Pre-Rebellion pieces of A-wings, mixed in with Clone War blaster parts sat in shelves lining the main road. Perhaps she was wrong. Maybe these people really didn't see Offworlders all that often.

There was a small tug at the hem of her jacket, and Rey turned to see a little girl standing beside her. She was small, with blonde hair matted to her face. Judging from the holes in her clothes and the dirt on her face, Rey guessed she was a street urchin.

"Who are you?" She asked, looking up at Rey with bright blue eyes which shown through the dirt and grime.

"My name's Rey," Rey answered, getting down on one knee to be at eye level with the child, "What's yours?"

"My name's Avery," the little girl responded, "Did you come in a ship? Are you from offworld?"

Rey smiled, "Yes. I came all the way from Naboo."

Avery's eyes widened, and she took several steps back. Taking in a deep breath, she then let out a high pitched scream that pierced through the entire market place.

Rey's mouth dropped open. What was going on? "No, no, it's okay. What's wrong?"

Turning on her heel, Avery took off running. "Offworlder!"

Getting up, Rey moved to chase the little girl. Something was very wrong here, and she was determined to figure out what it was. But she didn't take a step without realizing that every villager who had been carefully standing and watching her had now turned and was pointing a blaster at her. Avery had been an informant. The entire marketplace had now produced weapons and were pointing every single one of them at her.

These blasters were new. Rey could see the cold black metal gleam in the sunlight. First Order make, and without a bit of rust on them. The villagers would plow her down without a second thought. Rey could feel it.

Rey raised her hands, "I mean you no harm." She called out.

A large man stepped forward, holding a blaster at his side, "We'll see, Offworlder. But you're not going anywhere, not until you've talked to the _Machene._ "

Squinting up at the bulk of a man, Rey frowned, " _Machene_?" She didn't know what the term meant. She guessed it was their word for boss or interrogator. "I am Jedi. You have no right to hold me."

The large man let out a grunt, "Our world, our rules," he shoved Reys shoulder hard with his huge fist, making her spin around, "March, Offworlder. We'll find out what you really want with Kabaan soon enough."

Rey frowned, moving forward as she felt the nozzle of a blaster in her shoulder blades. Ben Solo must have something to do with this. He must be up to something, controlling these people somehow. Perhaps he had gone back to his old ways after all.

To be Continued!

(More coming soon, promise! Plz review!)


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Rey was shoved through the city, past homes and hospitals. The noonday sun was now falling lower in the sky, the days and nights were obviously quicker on this planet than most. Through swirling dust, she was brought all the way to the other end of town, just past the cantinas and brothels. Accompanied by six armed villagers, Rey marched up to a huge cluster of rusted mining buildings. Multiple smoke stacks reached up into the clear blue sky, emitting a light gray smoke into the clear atmosphere. The whirr of machinery and the grind of multiple swelters and drills could be heard above ground, even though the mine was hundreds of miles below their feet. It was a tunneling mine, intricate and old fashioned, the workers burrowed and dug ever deeper into the planet below. Overused mechanical relays moved and creaked in the bright sunlight as rough dirt was sifted and sorted into multiple huge bins above ground. This mine had been operational for over fifty years, and it looked like it was running low on new parts. Accompanying the grinding and squeaking machinery was the every present stink of burning motor oil.

Workers darted two and fro in their wake as Rey was pushed along by her captors. Although Rey never thought of herself as an intimidating person, these people gave her a wide birth. It was as if they were terrified of her.

"Tell _Machene_ that we have a visitor!" The huge man behind her roared, "Tell him we have an Offworlder."

A young teenaged boy with dark freckles and black hair trotted up to them, "He's working on the Fifth Drill," he said, pointing to the east, "I'll show you."

Following the young lad, Rey and her captors walked around the east side of the mine. Past several mammoth sized crane crews and diggers, they finally made their way up to an enormous underground drill. It had been hauled above ground for maintenance, and it sat in the sunlight like a giant mechanical slug made of metal and piping. It was even larger than the falcon.

" _Machene_!" The apish man behind Rey hollered, "We've got a visitor!"

Rey squinted in the sunlight as she saw a man on the top of the huge drill glance over his shoulder at them. He wore a protective mask, and thread-bare clothes just like everyone else. The mask covered his whole head, made partially of cloth and old goggles. He stood, his broad shoulders and lengthy body outlined by the now setting sun. Turning, he climbed down the massive drill quickly, his gloved hands and booted feet knowing exactly where to step so that he wouldn't fall to his death.

She watched him jump down the last steps of a ladder and walk toward her slowly. There was something she recognized about him. Perhaps the way he held his shoulders? Perhaps it was the rhythm in the way he walked? But she recognized him instantly.

Rey took in a deep breath as he came to stand in front of her. She stared up at his masked face, a frown turning her lips downward. "Take off your mask and tell these people to put away their weapons, Solo," She grumbled, putting her hands on her hips, "I don't know what you people are playing at, but I'm not amused."

The man in front of her put his head to the side and let out a muffled sigh. Reaching up, he slid off the protective helmet, letting his dark hair fall around his shoulders. "You were never one for pleasantries," Ben said, his deep voice booming from his chest with ease. He glanced over Rey's shoulder, "Put your weapons away," he muttered, "She's no slaver."

Finally feeling the muzzle of the blaster remove itself from her shoulder blades, Rey let out a sigh. Turning, she saw her captors reluctantly holster their weapons. It was as if they were disappointed. After a moment, she returned her attention to Solo. "Slavers?" Rey squinted at him, "I thought this was a mining planet."

The left side of Ben's mouth twitched as he took his gloves off, "What are you doing here, Rey?"

"I came to talk," Rey answered, lowering her voice, "Privately."

Ben Solo wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his sleeve as he let out a long sigh. "Fine. How did you get here?"

"I took the Falcon," Rey answered, peering up at the man she'd known all these years. His raven hair blew across his face in the late evening breeze, and he gazed at her with the same dark eyes she remembered. His scar, which ran diagonally across his features, had now faded with time. His skin was no longer deathly pale, but a sun kissed hue of tan. In a way she knew him, yet she didn't know him. The man who stood before her now was only a shadow of the sinister Kylo Ren she had known all those years.

A howling whistle bellowed over the mine, signaling that the work day had ended. All around them, the aged machinery ground to a halt, while men sighed in relief.

Nodding, Ben motioned toward the setting sun behind them, "My day is over. Come with me, it's time to eat."

Rey's mouth dropped open a little as he motioned for her to walk with him. It was just so odd. To have fought against each other for so many years, to suddenly act so… friendly. "They call you _Machene_. What does it mean?" Rey asked, falling into step beside Ben as they walked back into the dusty city. It didn't seem as though he was reigning over these people, which was a relief. If he wanted, he could go to some small corner of the galaxy and rule it like a king. Ben Solo was a powerful man; so it was possible.

"It's the local native speak for Mechanic," Ben answered.

"They act like you're in charge," Rey replied, raising her eyebrow.

"Around here the best mechanic is the one who is in charge," he answered, nodding to a fellow worker as he passed. He paused, half turning in place, "Ranktoa, is the turning radius infractor still working?"

Ranktoa, a short man with curly red hair, stopped and smiled, "Just like you said. Working like a tick in the sun."

Ben turned away, "Good to hear," he said, continuing on in the path which led to the local cantina.

"The locals thought I was a slaver," Rey said, "What are they talking about?"

Ben glanced down at her as he continued walking. "Come on, I'll buy you some food too."

Rey saw that he was avoiding the subject. It was painfully obvious. However, she supposed that he deserved some time to gather his thoughts. She had literally dropped out of the sky today. So instead of pressing it further, she followed him. The small city around them were gathering for a festivity, with dancers and venders and musicians. It was a beautiful night, with three moons rising quickly above them. Silently, Rey followed Ben into the dim lighting of one of the local cantinas.

The cantina was small, with a native band playing a catchy tune in the corner. Many of the local mine workers had gathered here to drink to the end of the day and eat their evening meal. It was smoky, and it smelled like greasy meet and stale beer. Minutes later, she saw at a dimly lit booth across from Ben. Staring at him, she took in a deep breath and held it. There were so many memories they shared, and most of them were bad. Why had she truly come to find him in this remote place of the universe?

He stared back, and lifted his eyebrows, "This feels weird," he finally muttered.

Rey exhaled, letting out an awkward laugh, "I know. Me too."

Ben sat back, a half smile pulling at the left side of his lips, "All those years," he said quietly, gazing at her in the dimness of the cantina, "By the Force, you drove me insane."

Biting at her lip, Rey shrugged. "The feeling was mutual."

Ben rubbed his neck, then leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table between them, "I swear, every time I thought I had you, you'd slip away."

Rey stopped smiling, staring up at him, "What were they talking about slavers for?"

His smile fading away, Ben ground his teeth together for a moment. Finally he glanced down at his hands, "Who else knows you're here?"

"No one," Rey answered, "I'm here on personal matters." Perhaps he thought she was checking up on him. He probably thought she was going to bring him back to the Alliance. He was, after all, a huge security risk.

Ben remained silent.

"I'm not a bounty hunter," Rey finally muttered.

"No," Ben answered, "But you are the symbol of the Alliance."

Rey blinked.

"I've seen the halo-vids," he said, his gaze flickering up to meet hers.

"That doesn't matter."

He shrugged, "Fine."

"Answer the question," Rey demanded, leaning her elbows on the table as well, their faces now only inches apart. She felt his warm breath on her face. This was really close. It was an intimidation tactic, meaning to intimidate him. It was backfiring. Rey felt as her cheeks began to burn.

Ben looked at her, his features emotionless. Finally, he sighed, "You left me on Cressic. The first ship I could get work on to leave was a slaver's ship."

Rey frowned. Slavers. They were the slime of the galaxy in its deepest and darkest form.

"I didn't know they were slavers," Ben muttered, "To be truthful they were also gun runners."

Her frown didn't lift.

"They raided this planet for slaves," Ben glanced around at the happy cantina, "It would have been easy. They didn't have the proper defenses. From what I understand, the slavers came here regularly. "

Rey's mouth dropped open, "Well they're not defenseless now," she breathed, her mind putting the pieces together, "They have those new blasters because you mutinied, and gave the people the weapons."

Ben's eyes softened, and he looked at her differently than he ever had before. He was warm. A quiet warmth that she had never sensed from him before.

Rey glanced around, "You saved them," her gaze landed on Ben, "So this is what you do now?"

He looked at his hands again, "Don't play stupid with me," he muttered.

She was used to the hostility. In a way, it felt like old times. "Then what? What are you doing out here? Playing hero?"

His dark eyes met hers once more, "I do what I want," he answered, "It's as simple as that. But what I don't get is why you care."

"Who says I care?" Rey leaned back against the booth once more, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"Why else are you here?" He gazed at her.

Rey was quiet for a moment as she gathered her thoughts, "I came because I needed to talk to you."

Ben sat back once more, "So talk."

Rey swallowed hard. She had wished that this conversation had been somewhere else. Somewhere quieter. Shaking her head, she let out a sigh. "Fine," she muttered, "I want to know why you let me win."

He looked at her hard for a few seconds, and then he looked away with a scoff, "You won. I didn't let you win."

She felt the lie hit her like a slap in the face. He was lying. It was obvious. "What?" She gasped.

Ben Solo got up from the booth, and started walking toward the door. "I don't know what you came for, and I don't care. So just leave."

Her hands turning to fists, Rey got up from the table, "I have come half way across the galaxy," she called at him, "The least you can do is tell me the truth."

"That was the truth," he muttered, leaving through the open door of the cantina.

"Ben Solo!" Rey yelled, following him outside and into an instant festival. People were dancing, musicians played merrily, while children ran up and down the streets. It must have been a local holiday, but Rey wasn't feeling festive. She followed his broad shoulders into the crowd, determined to make him stop. "Come back here!" She called, "Ben!"

He glanced over his shoulder momentarily at her, his dark eyes losing their bitterness. However, in that moment, a young woman dancer came and grabbed his hands and dragged him to the dance floor. Among the merriment, she pulled him into the street with the rest of the dancers.

Rey stopped and stared, her mouth dropping open as he was drawn into the merry crowd. They sang and danced around him, and for the first time in her entire life, she saw him smile. Ben Solo smiled. It changed everything about him. His lips curved up into a friendly grin, while his eyes sparkled in the early night. That was what had drawn her back across the galaxy. That inner light was what brought her to him. And for the first time, she could see it in him when he smiled.

Minutes later, however, someone grabbed her hands as well. A young man dragged Rey onto the dance floor amid the rest of them. She had never really danced before, but she did her best. It was a country style dance, with the people exchanging partners with the beat of the music. She was lead through the dance easily, and as if the rest of the dancers knew it what she wanted, she found herself dancing with Ben.

He took her hands, and led her through the dance easily. It was as if he knew it by heart already. Considering that he had spent the past two years here, he had probably danced these dances before. He held her close and then swayed her wide, guiding her with his hands to the beat of the music. She was swept up by him, her mind making her feel dizzy in the moment. What was she doing? Who was she dancing with now, really? All those years of fighting. All those years of being afraid. It made her head spin.

The music pitched, and he held her up and into the air easily. Slowly, he let her down as the music faded away. But he didn't let her go. She felt his hands on her waist. He was strong. Perhaps even stronger than ever, now that his mind wasn't clouded as it was before.

Rey blinked. No. It would never work. What was she thinking? She pushed away gently, "Can we talk?"

He let her go easily, looking away and brushing his hair out of his face. "Fine. Whatever you want."

To Be continued!

Plz review! Thanks all who have reviewed you guys are amazing! Best reviewers ever! 3


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Rey strolled away from the festival, Ben less than three feet behind her. She walked down the empty streets of the town, getting away from the noise and music of frivolity. She kept going, heading further from the people, and toward the outskirts of town.

"That's far enough," Ben called, his deep voice echoing in the empty street, "I'm not walking any further so you can stall."

"I'm not stalling," Rey lied, turning on her heel, "I just don't want to make a scene."

Ben gazed at her, the light of the three moons lighting his face, "I can tell when you lie too, Jedi," He put his hands on his hips, "I'm sick of playing your game."

Rey glared at man who had haunted her thoughts for so long. This wasn't going the way she planned. She didn't know what she had expected, but it wasn't this. In a way it would have made her feel better to see him being a slime-ball. Their roles would have reset, and she would have corrected whatever injustices he had inflicted upon the people of the planet. Now everything was up in the air. He made everything so confusing, so infuriating! "It's not a game," she growled.

"You've not changed a bit," Ben scoffed, "You're still lonely and afraid," he frowned, his eyes turning to dark slits, "You haven't changed, you never will. You're still a know-nothing child-"

Without thinking twice, Rey's hand flew up to slap him. He deserved it. He made her feel so out of control, she was desperate to regain control of the situation.

He caught her wrist before her hand landed on the side of his face. Ben Solo might look like a back-space grease monkey, but he still had the reflexes of a trained warrior.

"I'm not afraid of you," Rey muttered, trying to pull away from his grasp, "Now answer my question. Why did you let me win?" She moved to slap him with her other hand, her face was beginning to burn again.

Ben grunted, catching her other hand with his own before she could hit him, "Why do you need to hear it? You already know why!"

Rey felt her heartbeat race in her chest. She was too close to him. She could feel him, she could smell him, and she could hear his sharp breathing loud in her ears. "You're wrong, I don't know!"

He leaned forward, his deep voice booming from his chest, "You do!"

"No!" Rey shrugged against his grasp. She had fought him before. If she really wanted to hurt him, she could. It would be simple. A kick to the groin and a shove to his knee cap. But that wasn't really what she was doing. She was trying to prove a point. "I don't! Why can't you just answer me?"

"Damnit!" He released her hands, "I love you, alright?" His anger melted away as he said the words, and his dark eyes finally showed the deep hurt they'd hidden under sarcasm and resentment, "I've loved you this entire time. I can't help it." He said these words slowly and softly, his shoulders slumping as he did so. He'd given up, and he was tired of fighting her.

Rey froze in place, a small gasp escaping her lips. He was telling the truth. She knew it to be true. He didn't bother concealing it. He loved her. Ben Solo, who had once been the infamous Kylo Ren, loved her. Perhaps he was right, perhaps she had always known but didn't allow herself to acknowledge it. It was the only rational reason that he had done the things he had, and taken the chances he did. That small part of Ben Solo who had fought all those years against Snoke's influence, loved her. "You?" She felt the words come from her lips as a whisper, "You love me?"

Ben nodded, "Now answer my question," he took a step forward, coming so close that their faces were only centimeters apart, "Why did you come back?"

Rey felt her head begin to spin as she stared up into his eyes. He was so close. It made it hard for her to think clearly. "I don't know, I…" Her voice drifted away. She was afraid. He was right. She was still so afraid. Rey swallowed hard, beating back the panic that wanted to take over her heart, "I missed you," she finally whispered, admitting the hard truth she had fought for two entire years, "That part of you, it had become a part of me. My life doesn't feel right without you."

Slowly, Ben moved closer so that his lips only barely brushed against hers, "Rey, do you love me?"

Rey closed her eyes, her heart beating so fast that it hurt. She gasped, trying to say the words aloud. The truth had been hidden so deep down that it had lodged itself inside her, and it hurt to drag it to the surface. "Y-yes," she choked, "Yes. I love you."

Ben exhaled, his warm breath washing over her. In that moment, he closed the distance between them, his lips meeting hers in a gentle kiss.

Something inside her burst then, and a feeling of deep relief flooded over her. Rey tasted the salt on his lips, and felt his warm soft mouth against hers in a fierce type of glory. Her body reacted to him like he was the secret piece to her puzzle. She was whole again, and her body let out a deep sigh. Rey stepped forward, closing the spaces. Reaching up, she placed her hand at the back of his neck, entangling her fingers in his thick black hair and gently pulling him deeper into the kiss.

Ben wrapped his arms around her, holding her so tight that it almost hurt. In the instant he held her, Rey felt every single one of his walls come crashing down. He didn't bother hiding anything from her anymore, and he let her see who he was. What he was. She could feel everything about him; his loneliness, the always present agony of his guilt, and his deep longing. Ben longed for her, needed her, and wanted her like an icy mountain aches for the warmth of the sun.

After the kiss ended, she buried her face against his neck and they stood together in the darkness. The distant pop of fireworks interrupted the sounds of the night, and the sky was lit up above them as the sparks flew.

Rey gazed up into the starlit sky, watching the bright embers fall in the like brilliant fire flowers. She sighed, moving to wrap her arms around Ben's waist. "What do we do now?" she asked quietly.

Ben placed his arms around her shoulders, holding her close. "I don't know," he answered, his voice quiet in the darkness.

To Be Continued!

(A. N. I would love to thank my readers, especially the ones with English as their second language. It takes a load of determination to read an entire 19 chapters in another language. Kudos to you, I am beyond flattered. As for the rest of my readers and reviewers, you're awesome! Love ya! And plz review, I love those reviews. J


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Rey stood gazing up at the fireworks, her mind wandering aimlessly as she relished the feeling of his arms around her. Yes. This was what was supposed to happen. This was their destiny. It wasn't easy. It seemed like nothing Rey had ever had in her life came easy. But it was powerful. The connection that she and Ben Solo had reached over space, war, and two years of peace to bring them back together again.

After a moment, Ben took her hand in his. "Come with me," he whispered, leaning down so that his lips brushed against her ear, "I want to show you something."

Rey nodded, turning to follow him as he led her down the quiet streets of the town. They walked side by side, slipping in and out of the shadows unnoticed. On occasion they passed people in the street, but they gave them no attention and went on their way without word. It was a blessed relief. After becoming the symbol of the Alliance, Rey had lost all privacy. Everyone wanted a piece of her. To be left so completely in her own business was a deep breath of fresh air she didn't know she needed.

Ben held her hand tight, his fingers entertained with hers. His callouses were rough against her soft skin, and his hand enveloped hers because of its size. She had no idea how strong his hands were until now.

Where was he taking her? Ben held her hand tight, leading her through the quiet streets and finally out past the large wall surrounding the city. In the moonlight they wove around fruit trees and past a small trickling brook. The air smelled sweet, as the harsh sun had given way to a moist and blissful midsummer night. Frogs sang their songs in the deep grass at the water's edge, and fireflies glowed lazily where they drifted in the warm breezes like tiny blinking stars.

After walking tirelessly together in silence, they finally broke through the cluster of trees and into a clearing. Rey stepped into the moonlight and gazed up at a ship. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the dim light, but her as her mind registered what she was looking at her mouth dropped open. "By the stars," she muttered, stepping closer, "Is that a Mantra Seven?"

She could feel the pleasure radiate off Ben like warmth from a sun, "Yes."

Rey stared up at the spherical ship. It was the shape of a half moon, with cockpit off to the side. It was a similar design to the _falcon,_ but smaller. It was a lightweight freighter. She instantly recognized the design because it was the ship that so many others were based off. An original, it was the fastest, and also the rarest of its make. Built for deep space, it was designed for speed. "Where did you find it?" She breathed, walking up to the ship and placing her hand on the aged mettle, "It's in amazing shape."

"I found it in the junk yard," Ben answered, his deep voice hinting at the pleasure he felt at her reaction.

"You know it's probably over eighty years old?" Rey asked, glancing at Ben in the moonlight.

He nodded, a smile pulling at his lips, "There's a few fractures in the hull. Not space worthy yet, but I'm getting her there."

Rey moved her hand along the underside of the hull as she walked beneath it. A jolt of joyous energy passed through her as she touched the coveted cool metal shielding. There were so many stories about this class of ship. Rey had grown up with tales of the Rebellion, and good night stories of the Mantra Sevens. It had been this ship that had delved deeper into the uncharted territory of space than any other. This ship could outrun anything, turn on a coin, and bounce off suns with nary a scratch. Almost every single model of this iconic ship were in the hands of wealthy collectors, and to find even a scrapped part of it cost a ridiculous amount of credits. "What's her name?"

"She's the _North Wind_ ," Ben answered, reaching up and pressing the release button and lowering the ramp leading up and into the ship, "Come on."

Letting go of his hand, Rey walked up the ship's ramp, eyes wide. She had never been inside a Mantra Seven, and with every step she took she felt her heart start to beat just a little faster. As Rey strode up and into the dimly lit cockpit, she felt herself smile in awe.

Ben turned on a light, the yellow glow filling the old ship in a homely warmth.

Rey smelled the old leather, the stink of engine grease, and the familiar aroma of worn wiring and tinkered consoles. She walked up to the pilot's seat, and glanced over at Ben in a silent request.

He gazed at her and smiled, "Go ahead."

Rey sat in the pilot's chair and took a deep breath as she gazed at the re-wired console and readouts, "It's just like I thought it would be," she breathed, touching the buttons softly without switching them on, "I can't believe you found her."

"She was just rotting away," Ben answered, sitting in the co-pilot's seat, "I got her for practically nothing. The owner traded her to me for a speeder repair."

Rey's mouth dropped open and she felt herself begin to smile like a fool, "Amazing."

Ben stood again, taking her hand from her lap and pulling her to her feet.

She let herself laugh as he held her tight against him, smiling. Rey could feel his hard muscles through her clothes, and sensed his pride as he smiled down at her. That smile of his made her feel so weak. So vulnerable.

"Come with me, Rey," he whispered, leaning his forehead against hers, "We can go where nobody has ever even heard of us. We can start over and live the way we were meant to."

She laced her fingers into his thick hair and closed her eyes as she felt his warm breath wash over her face. Rey wanted so badly to say yes. Yes. She wanted it so much. She wanted that life with him. Freedom in its purest sense. But that was so much trust. Such a huge leap. Rey swallowed hard, and felt her insides begin to shake again. "I can't," she whispered, her voice shaking, "I'm scared."

Ben sighed, then leaned down and buried his face against the side of her neck. Deep in his chest he let out a low groan.

She felt his sadness flood over her as he held her tight. He was going to leave with or without her. He had to. Being here, although it was a good place to be, was suffocating. Ben Solo wasn't meant to be a planet-bound mechanic, he was meant to be free. Just as Leia said.

"You know me," Rey breathed, "You've seen me fall, you've seen me grow. But I don't know."

Ben stood up and gazed at her through the dim light, "You don't know me."

"I know this," Rey said, resting her hand on his chest, her fingers feeling his heartbeat beneath the worn cloth of his shirt, "I know who you are deep down. But other than that, you're a mystery."

Ben sighed once more, his lips forming a thin line. "That's fair," he muttered, taking her hand once again, "One more thing I want to show you."

Rey nodded, feeling a rush of relief come over her when she realized that he wasn't going to fight her on this. Instead, she followed him to the inner hull above the engine. This was where the crew would eat, pass the time during space travel, or play a halo game. There wasn't much left except a large lounge booth seat without a table. Blue light filtered in through a five foot round hole in the ceiling above the seat, bathing the compartment in a moonlit glow.

Ben sat down heavily on the aged seat and leaned his head back against the rest to stare up into the starry sky above. As he did so, he pulled her down with him and she sat beside him comfortably and gazed up at the stars. "You were right," she muttered, "Definitely not space ready."

"It won't take much," Ben answered, "Just a retro fitting blast plate. I can find that anywhere. I just like nights like these, that's the only reason why I haven't fixed it yet."

Rey turned to stare at him, "The only reason?"

He felt her gaze and turned to meet it, "No. I suppose not."

She didn't bother to state the obvious. He had been waiting for her. Of course restoring this ship would take time, but he hadn't stressed it. Somehow he knew that she would find her way back to him. "There's something else," Rey whispered, running her fingers up and down the bare skin on his arm, "Something else that I need to know."

Ben's dark eyes flickered in the moonlight, and he let out another sigh as he read her mind effortlessly. "You want to why I fell. "

Rey looked away, "I have to know. I've heard stories. People talk. Some people claim to know. But I don't believe them."

He turned away and gazed up at the stars once more, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to find the words.

To Be Continued!

(I hope to update more soon, please review!)


	21. Chapter 21 WARNING! RATED M!

Chapter 21

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE! THIS CHAPTER'S RATING IS MATURE FOR SMUT (Rated M!). PLEASE CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED! THIS CHAPTER HAS A HIGHER RATING!**

Rey held her breath, watching as a range of emotions crossed over Ben's features. She had waited two years, and they were finally together. There couldn't be any secrets. As much as she wished she could start a new life with him, she had to know the whole story. She froze in her place, her heartbeat loud in her ears.

After a moment, Ben ran his hand through his hair, brushing it out of his face. He let out a hiss between his teeth, grimacing. "It wasn't sudden," he muttered, not meeting her gaze, "It didn't happen in just one day. It was over time." He let go of her hands and clenched and unclenched his fists in his lap, "Snoke came to me when I was little. I was alone a lot."

Rey's mouth dropped open, "He came to you when you were a kid?"

"My parents fought a lot," he answered, "He would be this voice in the back of my head. At first he was my friend."

She watched as Ben's hands clenched into fists so hard that his knuckles turned white.

"He would ask me to do things for him," Ben whispered, moving to stare down at his hands, "At first they were little things. And then they weren't so little." Leaning forward, he finally buried his face in his hands, his body tensing. "That's how I fell. Slowly. After you listen to the voice in the back of your head for so long, it's easy not to question it. Then one day I woke up and I was a monster." Ben let out a shuddering sigh, his hair falling forward and hiding his face.

Rey swallowed as her heart ached in her chest. Young Ben, so easily influenced and isolated. Such easy prey to Snoke. Slowly, she got to her feet and moved to stand in front of him. Without a word, she rested her hand on his shoulder, and then moved to brush his dark hair out of his face.

Slowly, he raised his head to meet her gaze, his eyes shining in the moonlight.

She brushed her fingertips along his jawline, finding his mouth and tracing it in slow patterns. It was a tender motion, meaning so many things with such a small act. "No more secrets. Not between us. Never again."

Ben grimaced, another shudder shaking him, "Sometimes, I…" his voice chocked, and he swallowed hard, "Sometimes I can't stand it anymore and I…" He raised his hand up, two fingers pointing at his left temple, "I want to. But I can't. I'm a coward." He spat this out, his deep voice conveying the fact that he hated himself as much as he hated to admit his cowardice. His words were angry, but his entire body began to shake.

Rey understood what he was trying to say, and she felt her breath leave her. _He was suicidal._ It was his last secret. She leaned down, brushing her lips against his forehead in a feather light kiss, taking his hand in hers as she did so. "I'm here," she whispered, "I'm not going anywhere." Leaning closer, she moved aside his dark hair and kissed his left temple, letting her lips linger on his soft skin. "So much history between us," Rey whispered, "And none of it good."

Ben continued to shake, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he rested his hands on her waist.

Rey could feel his hands shaking through the folds of her clothes. The trauma and guilt of his past washed over him in waves. They didn't have a single good memory together. It was all fighting, all bloodshed. So many years of chasing each other, running, and war. They had nothing good to base any type of relationship on. _Perhaps it was time to change that._ Rey moved to his neck, letting her lips linger on his skin as she trailed slow kisses to his collar bone. His skin was warm against hers, and she could feel his heartbeat in a quick rhythm beneath her mouth.

Slowly, Ben's hands stopped shaking, and his breathing slowed. With each kiss, his body relaxed.

Sitting up, Rey cupped his face in her hands, staring down at him in the starlight. "Close your eyes."

Ben looked up at her, "What are you doing?" He asked, his voice a husky whisper.

"Hush," Rey breathed as she leaned down, brushing her lips against his mouth. "I want something good for us."

Slowly, Ben shut his eyes.

Biting at her lip, Rey pulled her jacket away from her shoulders, and then took off her shirt. The cool breeze made goosebumps instantly form on her pale skin. She swallowed hard. Rey had never gone this far with a man before. She'd always fled, leaving whatever Resistance pilot she had lured away feeling exasperated and unsatisfied. Rey had never wanted this. Not really. Not until now. Leaning down to him once again, she pulled at his shirt, and he easily let her slip it away. Tossing his shirt, she shrugged off her boots and pants. Naked, she stood in front of him whilst wearing nothing but her thin panties in the darkness. Reaching up, she released her hair from its hold in the tight bun she usually kept it in. Her hair fell soft and clean around her shoulders, and she felt herself jolt as it brushed her shoulders.

He didn't move, keeping his eyes shut as she had instructed. She could tell it was all he could do not to move. She felt his will fight against itself like a caged animal. He wanted so badly to touch her, feel her soft skin under his fingertips. He was dying of heat, and she was the only thing that could quench his thirst.

Silently, she sat beside him on the worn seat. She tried not to shake, but her fingers trembled as she placed her palm on his cheek and drew him toward her. She brought his mouth to hers, and she kissed him lightly, timidly.

Ben's eyes flickered open, "You're afraid."

"Yes," Rey whispered, her mouth moving against his, "It's alright."

"I don't want you to be afraid," he breathed, shuddering as she ran her chilled fingertips down his chest and stomach to grasp his pants. "I don't want you to be afraid of me."

The coldness around them made Rey shudder, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She pulled him close, her breasts finding warmth against his flushed skin, "So teach me how to be brave," she whispered, "I trust you."

Gasping, Ben nodded, finding her mouth with his. This time, he kissed her.

He started light, careful not to frighten. His warm lips teasing her skin, tracing hers and then going deeper into her mouth tentatively with his tongue.

Rey closed her eyes, a hazy dizziness finally taking over her as he laid her down on the seat below him. As he kissed her, his strong hands moved up and down her inner thighs, warming them and moving closer to her thin panties with every motion. Everything moved in that motion, starting out small and then coming closer and closer, like waves on a shore reaching up to the sands and then receding.

She felt him hold himself back. Rey could sense it; he was being careful. Careful not to be too rough, or too harsh. Rey knew that he was doing this because he cared for her, but as he moved over her, she felt herself give in. She gave into the urge to push him over that edge or restraint, to release him from the bonds that held him. Rey wanted to be free with him, free from everything. Rey broke their kiss, dragging in a deep breath, "It's alright," she whispered, "You won't hurt me."

He didn't respond, so she did for him.

Rey dove into him, releasing every bit of restraint she ever considered. She was hungry, starving. She kissed him hard, dragging him down to her hungrily.

It didn't take much to break his resolve. Just her. Every single safety in him switched off, and it sent him tumbling over the edge. He free fell, kissing her hard and deep. His strong hands slid up her stomach, feeling the soft slopes of her ivory breasts and pulling her up against him. She could feel him harden, and she rubbed against him in the ultimate tease.

Taking in a deep breath, Rey broke their kiss for an instant, reaching one hand up and burying her fingers into his thick hair. She felt him move her hips beneath him, pulling at the small piece of undergarment that remained a boundary between them. Rey exhaled, feeling it finally fall away.

He kissed her again, this time slowly. Ben knew what would happen next. Rey knew it too, although she had never experienced it.

The pain of him entering her was like a bright blinding flash. Rey gasped, crying out as the pain made her feel as if she was on fire.

Ben held her, resting his forehead against hers. He didn't want to hurt her. Never wanted to hurt her.

Rey took in a deep breath, opening her eyes to meet his gaze. Slowly, she reached up and rested her palm against his cheek, then brought him back to her in a kiss.

Everything blurred around them after that as they lost themselves in each other. No more secrets, and no more distance. Finally, they had something beautiful together, something pure and untainted by anyone else.

Afterward, they lay together in exhaustion. Ben fell asleep first, his right arm wrapped tightly around Rey's waist. Covered in a blanket, they lay on the floor beside the bench seat. At some point, they had moved there for more room. Ordinarily, Rey would have been cold, but laying on her side with her back pressed against Ben's chest, she was quite warm.

Ben breathed steadily, sound asleep. He was curled around her, his head resting on one of his arms.

Rey probably couldn't move even if she tried. Even in his sleep he held her tight. Closing her eyes, Rey let out a small sigh. No more loneliness. She didn't have to think of any ocean tonight.

Rey fell asleep, drifting away in the surety of what they had found together. She would come away with him. Together, they could make a new life. This was the way it was always meant to be. Even in the beginning, their destinies were intertwined.

-The End.

(A.N. Well that feels good, but I can write an epilogue if anyone wants it. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Plz review. Love you all!)


	22. epilogue part one

Three Months Later

Epilogue

Rey dropped into the autmosphere of the now familiar outer rim planet, a spike of excitement rushing over her. She piloted an old shipping freighter, easily slipping under the radar of the New Republic, and easy to sell. It was the perfect ship. Rey had been gone for the past three months, getting her affairs in order to leave. Some had suspected, while others knew her plans for certain. Leia knew, and Finn knew. Others only suspected that she meant to never return.

Finn was sad at first, but after a brief moment of shock, he told her that if they were meant to only see each other one last time they would do it laughing. So they went out to their favorite hangouts and taverns. They visited their favorite places, played their favorite games, and hung out with the boys from Poe's squadron. Finn and Rey had a great night together, and as they said goodbye he held her just a little tighter. Finn understood why she had to leave, and he was excited for her. But it was a bittersweet parting.

Now she flew over the city, spotting the two mines. She would set her ship down on the clearing beside the newly modified _North Wind_. Rey could sense that Ben was making last minute repairs to the ship, and he was instantly alerted to his presence.

 _Hello Beautiful_ , he whispered.

Rey smiled, Ben's familiar voice in the back of her head. _Hey stranger_ , she whispered back. _Sorry I took so long_.

 _It's alright,_ he replied, _I'll see you soon._

Rey landed right outside the southwest mine amid a swirl of dust. Shutting off the engines, she grabbed her duffle bag and slipped from the cockpit and walked down the ramp of the old ship. Slowly, she let her eyes adjust to the bright sunlight, and saw a familiar figure standing on the outskirts of the clearing.

Broad shouldered, the tall figure strode toward her through the settling dust. His dark hair shining in the midday sun. But his smile was what truly outshone the sun.

She felt herself take in a deep breath as she began grinning uncontrollably from ear to ear. Dropping her bag at the base of the ramp, she walked toward him. Then she jogged, and then she broke into a run.

Rey plowed into him, throwing her arms around his neck as she laughed.

A smaller man would have been knocked off his feet, but he took her momentum and swung her around in the air. Ben chuckled, holding her tight and burying his face in her hair.

After a dizzy moment, Rey felt the ground beneath her boots and she steadied herself, hugging him tight. It had been a very long three months, and she had missed him more and more as every day passed.

Ben held her so tight that it almost hurt.

Rey closed her eyes tight, relishing the moment, "I missed you."

"I missed you too," Ben came away, brushing her hair out of her face, a half smile pulling at the left side of his lips, "You seem different," he peered at her, his dark eyes searching hers, "What's going on?"

Rey shrugged, "Nothing."

Ben lifted his eyebrows, "Liar."

She smiled, keeping her lips tightly shut.

He chuckled again, "Fine," he answered, "Tell me later."

Rey nodded, pulling him down to her lips for a kiss, "Right."

He kissed her back, his warm mouth inviting and familiar.

She closed her eyes, her heart jumping at how close he was. Something deep inside her recognized him. Every single time. It was as if the core essence of who she was felt him close and rejoiced in finding him.

Tbc

Thank you to all the wonderful readers and reviewers out there!


	23. Epilogue part two

Epilogue part two:

Ben took her hand, and together they walked up the landing bay of the North Wind. It had been three months since they'd been together last, and as Rey gazed about the ship, her eyes boggled. It was almost unrecognizable.

Relay panels had been replaced, the inner hull had been sealed, and all of the lights were updated and cleaned. The ship had been given a complete overhaul. It felt polished and clean. As Rey looked around, she felt herself gasp. Ben had done all of this. When she had left, it had been a sad wreck of a glorious time long forgotten. Now, it was a ship of a new life. It was beautiful.

Ben stared at her, his dark eyes softening and a half smile pulling at his lips. "You like it?"

Rey nodded, walking over to the cockpit, dragging him behind her as he held onto her hand, "It's amazing. I can't believe it." Rey touched the scrubbed consoles, noting how clean and carefully repaired they were. Gently, she placed her palm against the pilot's chair, feeling the worn leather. "You worked so hard."

Slowly, Ben pulled her away and brought her close in a tight embrace, wrapping his arms around her waist, "The hyperdrive can still use some work though."

Rey glanced over her shoulder toward the inner hull, where the bulky engine sat beneath the internal compartments. She moved to go toward the rear of the ship, "I can fix that-"

Ben held her fast, not letting her budge an inch. A deep chuckle came up from his chest, "Later."

Looking up to Ben, Rey felt her heart jump in her chest as she stood silent. There he was. It was as if, over all the eons of time, the Light Side, and the Dark Side, they were always meant to be together. Together was the only way they could bring balance. Together, they were the balance.

Rey smiled, feeling the world still around her as she wrapped her arms around Ben's neck. He had gotten healthier than when she had seen him last. His eyes had less circles around them, and he had gotten even stronger in his shoulders. He was eating properly, and he had been out in the sun, his skin now held a healthy glow. For the first time ever, Rey saw him for what he could be when he wasn't tearing himself apart. He was so strong.

She was about to say something, she opened her mouth to say something.

Ben stopped her with a kiss.

Rey forgot what she was about to say, closing her eyes and letting her mind lose itself in the kiss. She felt him pick her up, carrying her back to the captain's cabin. Rey smiled, relishing his closeness. He smelled like the lakes and engine oil. But he tasted like home.

Forty Minutes Later…

Rey propped her head up against her palm as she lay naked amid the rumpled sheets and blankets in the captain's bunk. With her other hand, she drew slow lazy circles on Ben's exposed chest with her fingertips. The mid afternoon sun fell on them from a port-side window, its yellow glow flowing over them in a warm light.

"Where are we going to go, Ben?" Rey asked quietly, her fingertips circling on his skin slowly, "Have you thought about it?"

"I have," Ben answered, his voice quiet in the stillness, "We go wherever we can find work. Wherever is out of the reach of the New Republic. It doesn't matter."

Rey nodded, silently. Her fingertips found a white scar that was evident on his chest, and she traced it absently. The scar was etched in his skin like a lightning bolt in the sky.

"Do you care?" Ben asked, concern rippling off him.

Rey lay back against the pillows of the bed, "I've been wandering for the past eight years," she whispered, letting out a deep breath in a sigh, "My home is with you."

Ben turned on his side, edging closer to her, "Rey?"

Rey continued to trace the scar on his chest, "Yeah?"

"I'm not a good man, Rey," he whispered, "I've done things. I know this. I know I will never be…"

Rey's gaze flickered up to him, meeting his in a silent acceptance.

"I will never be right. I won't be normal," he muttered, his dark eyes taking on the haunted look of his past, "I'm lost out here. I don't know what's wrong anymore. Or what's right. I'm broken."

Letting out a sigh, Rey reached up and placed her palm against his cheek, "Do you trust me?"

A hint of a smile pulled at Ben's mouth, and his eyes softened, "You. And only you."

"I won't let you be lost," Rey answered, "We can make it through anything. As long as we stay together."

A smile came to Ben's lips, and he kissed the inside of Rey's palm and let out a sigh as he closed his eyes in sleepy contentment.

Rey sighed as well, her fingers moving down his neck and onto his shoulder, "So many scars," she muttered, wincing as she came to a familiar white burn scar down his left side. She had given him that one. She had nearly run out of bacta, and it showed in the scar as it was rough and uneven in a tight sort of way. The white scar was at least a dozen inches long, and it ran down his side in an angry memory that Rey would just as soon forget. "You know you could get these removed?"

Ben's eyes opened half way, "I know," he muttered, his voice rough, "But they are who I am. They remind me of what I've done. What I had to do. The price I've paid."

"I only wish that the price you paid for me was not so steep," Rey whispered, running her hand up and down the angry scar, her fingers brushing against the rough skin. As she did, she remembered that fateful night when she was so terribly tempted to turn to the darkness in anger. She had hurt him. Badly. It was a memory they both shared. While it was his redemption, it was her shame.

"You were worth it," Ben answered, obviously feeling her regret. He reached up, threading her hair through his fingers, "You were always worth it." He pulled her closer then, burying his face in her hair, and holding her tight.

Rey felt his warm skin against hers, and she swallowed hard. "Ben?"

"Yeah?"

"Ben, I," She closed her eyes, wrapping her arm around him and holding him close, "I'm pregnant."

A wave of shock went through him, and she felt him take in a deep breath, "Pregnant?" His deep voice sounded so quiet then, almost unbelieving.

"Yes," Rey answered, "We're going to have a family. You and me."

 _I don't deserve this_ , Ben's mind whispered _. I don't deserve you. I don't deserve any happiness. I don't deserve a family._

Rey listened to this, and opened her eyes. She moved her head back to meet Ben's gaze.

She saw the heartbreak in his eyes. She felt the pain that he kept with him. Some things he would never let go of. She knew it was true. Slowly, Rey brushed his black hair away from his face, "I love you, Ben Solo. You saved me when nobody else could have. And you love me. I know it."

Ben closed his eyes, silent tears holding themselves in check only by sheer will.

"We will love our baby. We will try to give it a good life. Together." Rey kissed him softly on the lips, "Just us. We will make our own happiness."

Ben held her closer then. He held her so tight, she could feel him trying to overcome his fear. She felt it in him. His muscles tensed and his breaths were so slow that he hardly breathed at all.

 _I love you_ , Rey whispered, closing her eyes. _I will always love you_. In that moment, their minds intertwined, and she felt him like she felt herself. She felt his loneliness. Sadness. But deep down, there was a tiny flicker. Hope. A new hope. She, and this new hope, was all that kept him alive. All that kept him from turning back to the anger and suffering of the Dark Side.

Ben breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that she could see everything that he was. The fact that she didn't recoil in doubt and fear left him dizzy in relief.

It was then that a ship dropped into the atmosphere above them. Rey's eyes snapped open as she felt a familiar presence. Together, Ben and Rey sat up in bed, "They've found us," Rey muttered, making to get out of bed, "I can throw the ship into sub space engines, we need to get out of here."

Ben grabbed her hand, staying her. "No."

Rey's mouth dropped open as she stared at him, "What? They will capture you. You could be put to death."

"They're too close," Ben answered, glancing up to the ceiling of the ship, "I can't risk it." _I can't risk them hurting you. Either of you._

Rey froze, "Ben. No."

He let go of her hand, and reached down to the floor to retrieve his shirt and pants. Throwing on his shirt, he reached across the bed, kissing her again, "I love you."

She felt her heart start to ache, "I know."

To be continued

(A.N. I'm sorry it's been a while since I uploaded. Believe it or not…I just wasn't ready to say goodbye.)


	24. The End

Epilogue Part Three

Rey bit her tongue, and struggled to shrug on her shirt and pants to stumble after him.

Ben strode through the ship, his broad shoulders slung back. He had come to terms with what would happen if he was caught a long time ago. Rey could sense that he wasn't afraid. His only emotion was sadness.

She reached out to him with her mind. _Don't do this_ , she whispered _, there must be another way_.

 _There is no other way_. Ben halted as she came up behind him, glancing over her shoulder. He stared at her with his dark brown eyes, a resigned look in his features telling her that any arguing would be pointless. His jaw tightened, as he stared at her. He glanced at her belly, knowing the secret it held, and the possible future that could be lost in the next few moments. Finally, pressed the hatch door and the seals hissed.

The bright late afternoon sun found him in the darkness, and he looked down the landing ramp. _I will always love you._

Rey exhaled, leaning up against the control panel. No. This couldn't be happening. Why? Hadn't they been through enough? She leaned forward, feeling her knees lose their strength. She couldn't go on without him. She didn't want to go on without him. Rey didn't want to raise their child without him. This was to be their happiness. This was supposed to be their final freedom and joy. Would they ever truly be free? She swallowed hard, angry tears welling up in her eyes. No. She couldn't let him do this.

She willed herself to straighten, and then followed Ben down the ramp. She wouldn't let him stand alone. They were in this together now.

The bright late afternoon light blinded her and she blinked as she trotted down the ramp behind Ben. As her eyes adjusted, she looked up to see a class A attack ship landing just inside the clearing. It was an Alliance cruise fighter, capable of carrying over a dozen crew members.

"Wait!" Rey called over the sounds of the cruiser's landing engines, "Wait!"

Ben turned to her, surprise evident as his mouth dropped open. _Please, Rey_ , he whispered. _Just stay there. Please_.

Rey halted. This was the closest to begging that she had ever seen him come. She felt her lip start to tremble, and her eyes finally let loose the tears that she had held back for so long _. Alright_ , she whispered back. _Alright_.

He turned away, hesitating a moment before he walked the rest of the way down the ramp. He still held his shoulders slung back, and his dark hair blew across his face in the afternoon wind. His clothes, now worn so thin that they were nearly see-through, were tugged by the wind. Ben was so different now than when she had first met him that fated day in the forest. Under the name of Kylo Ren, he had worn a mask and black cloth to hide himself from the universe. Now Ben Solo stood at the bottom of the landing ramp, his clothes thread-bare and worn, while his boots were dirty and falling apart. Yet he stood there, more powerful than ever before. Ben Solo stood at the bottom of the landing ramp, willing to pay for Kylo Ren's sins. His sins. All that he did. All that he was. To Ben, death would be his only true escape. Rey had been his one peace, and their time together had been brilliant but brief. Now he walked to his inescapable destruction.

Rey could see this now as he walked away, and it made her heart shatter into more pieces than she thought possible. It left her breathless. She was going to lose him.

He strode down the landing ramp and then toward the cruiser, unflinching as the attack ship's ramp came down with a hiss as its engines powered down.

Charging down the landing ramp, a dozen tall Wookie warriors came at them. They were huge, each easily over seven feet tall, armed to the teeth, and ready to fight.

Rey recognized them instantly. These Wookies were General Organa's personal bodyguard. She had chosen the finest Wookie fighters to be her bodyguard in the middle of the war, when the Resistance had saved their entire home planet. They served her dutifully, unflinchingly, and to the death.

Letting out a roar, the Wookies surrounded Ben, aiming their weapons at his chest.

Then, following slower than the rest, an older Wookie came up. He limped, and the white streaks through his hair made him easily identifiable.

Ben stared up at the older Wookie as the rest parted in ranks to let him through, "Are you going to kill me, Chewie?" His voice was low, but without malice.

Chewie let out a low growl deep in his chest. The sound of it echoed in the silence around them, and it chilled Rey's blood.

With the strength and speed of a lightning bolt, Chewie's giant hand came up and then across Ben's face with enough force to send him rolling in the dirt.

Ben's head hit the ground, and his body rolled a few feet from the power of the Wookie's punch. Slowly, he got to his knees, as blood dripped from his nose and fell to the dusty ground beneath him.

Rey fought the urge to come to his aid, and took a step closer as she tried to restrain herself.

Ben looked up at the Wookie he'd known since birth. "Chewie, I-"

Letting out a roar, the aged Wookie reached down and grabbed Ben's thick black hair and yanked him up. Holding Ben by the hair momentarily, he howled again in pain and anger only to stop after he landed another vicious blow to Ben's skull.

He flew even further this time, rolling in the dirt and making a small cloud of dust rise around him.

 _Get up,_ Rey pleaded in her mind, _Ben, run!_

Stirring, Ben let out a low moan as he lay face down in the dirt.

Grimacing, Rey felt his pain in her own head, and she reached up to touch her throbbing temple. Wookies were so strong, they could rip a human apart. In truth, Chewie was pulling his punches. If the giant Wookie hit Ben as hard as he could, he would instantly kill him.

Ben didn't get up this time.

Chewie reached down, grunting, and dragging Ben up to his knees by his shirt. Reaching his furry hand up he clenched his fist to get ready to land another shattering punch to Ben's face.

Ben watched it all from beneath a thick layer of dirt mixed with blood. He didn't fight it, and he didn't say anything. Blood poured from his nose and a cut in his lip, but he only gazed up at the Wookie in silence.

"Chewie!" A familiar voice called.

Rey looked up to see General Organa walk down the landing ramp, "I believe your honor has been appeased?"

Chewie hesitated, glancing down at Ben's bloody features. Letting out another low growl, Chewie let go of Ben's collar.

Ben dropped to the ground, now on his hands and knees.

The Wookie bodyguards parted, letting the tiny General Organa pass between them to stand in front of her son. She wore a gray jumpsuit, with no insignia of her rank or title, and her hair was pulled into a tight bun at the back of her head.

Slowly, Ben raised his head to gaze up at his mother. "Are you here to take me away?" He asked, his voice only a barely audible mumble.

Leia rose her chin, and a cool breeze brushed against them. She stood motionless.

"It doesn't matter," Ben muttered, "I know I am unforgivable," he looked over his shoulder and spat blood out of his mouth, "And I know it will never be enough. But I am sorry," his shoulders sagged as he rocked back to kneel in the dirt, "For everything. I am sorry, mother." His head bowed and he gazed down at his hands, "But please… Don't involve Rey."

Leia met Rey's stare, seeing into her heart instantly as she stood helpless at the end of _North Wind's_ landing Ramp. Then, she exhaled and knelt in front of Ben, wrapping her arms around her son's neck and pulling him close.

Ben froze for a moment, shock rippling off him in waves. Then, he gasped, embracing his mother as his entire body shook on silent sobs.

Rey watched all of this, her mouth dropping open. Quietly, she placed her hand on her stomach, feeling the small light inside her belly rejoice in the moment as she did. A mother's love was strong enough to heal even the deepest wounds. It was something Rey had never experienced. However, she already felt a deep love for the tiny child growing inside her.

After a few minutes, Ben and Leia stood, and Leia motioned for Rey to approach them.

Rey did so slowly, and as she did, Ben reached out his hand. She took his hand, and he brought her close, wrapping his arms around her. Rey exhaled, holding him tightly in that moment.

"Finn told me," Leia said, her voice quiet, "He told me everything."

Blinking, Rey and Ben turned to Leia in surprise.

"Well he didn't tell me everything," Leia acknowledged, glancing at Rey's stomach, "I figured some things out on my own."

Rey took in a deep breath as Ben placed his large palm over the small bump below her belly button. "You figured it out?"

"It's not that hard to see the signs," Leia admitted, "Especially if you are careful to watch for them."

"So what now?" Rey asked, her voice still strained, "What are you going to do to us?"

Leia took Rey's hand in her own, letting out a sigh. "What am I going to do?" She glanced up at Ben, a lifetime of sadness and regret suddenly visible in her eyes, "I am going to enjoy the rest of my vacation. That is what the New Republic believes I am doing. All of this is unofficial. I put a tracking device in your ship, leading me here."

Rey glanced over her shoulder at the beat up cruiser she had flown in on. "You put a tracker on my ship?"

Leia nodded, "Forgive me. I just couldn't let you go without saying goodbye."

Glancing up at Ben, Rey brushed his hair out of his face, and in so doing wiping some dirt away with her sleeve.

Ben pulled her close to his side, letting out an exhausted sigh.

Leia stared at both of them, "So you're leaving?"

They nodded.

"You know your father asked me to leave with him once," Leia said, gazing up at Ben, her voice soft. "Back then I thought he was being selfish. Running away from the responsibility that we owed the galaxy."

Rey lowered her head, swallowing hard at Leia's words.

"But now," Leia took a step closer to them, "I realize that we had done what was needed. I should have left with him like he asked. In the end, it would have been better. For all of us."

Ben said nothing, only leaning his chin against the top of Rey's head.

"To the Republic, Kylo Ren is dead," Leia said, her voice growing stronger now, "Go make a life for yourselves. And remember I will always love you."

Together, they all embraced. A family once torn apart, now rebuilt.

One Hour Later

Rey sat opposite Ben in the cockpit of the _North Wind_. The subspace engines hummed, and slowly Rey brought the ship into the blue sky above. She could feel Ben's gaze on her, and she glanced at him, "What?"

Ben gave her a half smile, his dark eyes taking in everything that she was. "Nothing. It's just…" he glanced around, "Let's go home."

Nodding, Rey flipped on the sublight engines. As the data computer keyed up, the hyperdrive starting purring, "Together?"

Ben reached for her free hand, holding it tightly in his.

Rey pressed a button, sending their ship into hyperspace. Stars became starlines, and they dove deeper into the outer rim than either of them had ever ventured before. It was a big universe out there, and they would find their way. Together.

They would live.

They would love.

They would face all the challenges, and they would rise above.

They had found balance in their love, and in their love, the universe found peace. Because it is only through love, that life is made better. So that is how it was, Ben and Rey, always moving and growing in the stars above, wild and free.

-The End.

A.N. I love you all, and I hope you have a great year. I'm sorry it took me so long to finish it, but here it is. Thank you especially to my readers whose first language isn't English. Kudos to you, you have much more determination than I. Thank you to all my long term readers who have stuck with me since the beginning, you're awesome. Goodbye. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did.


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